Ch.14: Follow Barker

"Me and my friends don't appreciate animal cruelty.", said the raider with a sick grin. Three other raiders came from the bombed out house next to the group, armed with crude melee weapons.

"I suggest you give us the stuff and leave before we do to you what we did to that super mutant.", said one of the raiders.

"You guys didn't kill that super mutant. There's no point in bluffing.", said Milton with the upmost confidence.

"How did-! [censored] you!", screamed the raider leader.

"It wasn't that hard. You expect me to believe a gang of four raiders armed with a long pipe, a kitchen knife, and a baseball bat, killed a super mutant."

The raider leader made his sick again before saying, "You forgot about the gun."

Meanwhile, on the roof of the Super Duper Mart. Barker was watching everything through the scope of his sniper rifle. He had been up there for five days, waiting for the group from Rivet City to reach the agreed meeting point. In that five days, he's killed molerats, giant ants, raiders, and even a super mutant from a group that wandered to close. And when the jackasses from Rivet City finally arrive, they run into the ONE raider gang he didn't kill this week!

With his crosshairs on the raider standing away from the other three, he aimed right for the head. He estimated he would get at least one more before the rest ran for cover. Hopefully these guys weren't so pathetic that they couldn't handle two raiders.

Back on the ground, the standoff was about to get bloody. The raider leader drew his sawed-off shotgun suprisingly quick and shot Milton square in the chest. The force of the shot made Milton stumble and fall backwards. And as he aimed at the shocked Bentley, as bullet lodged itself into the back of his head.

The other raiders looked in horror as their leader fell down and twitched before dieing. Bentley snapped out of his fear and shot the knife wielding raider with his SMG. The raider wasn't wearing any sort of protection under his rags, and went down with just a few shots. The raider with the pipe ran straight at Bentley screaming at the top of his lungs. Bentley flinched as he came upon him and had his SMG wacked out of his hand.

"YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED THEM!", screamed the raider over and over again as he beat Bentley to the ground. The raider relentlessly hit him on the head until dents formed all over his helmet, and his plexi glass face guard cracked.

Just as the raider was going to make one more great swing at Bentley's head, two quick bursts from an SMG hit him on his side. Milton then got up and emptied his clip on the last raider who was already running away and too far away for any of the shots to connect. When it looked like he was going to get away, a bullet hit him on the leg. The raider managed to crawl a few more feet in agony before getting shot in the back by one more bullet. He then lay motionless in a growing puddle of his own blood.

Barker ejected a shell from his sniper rifle before taking a long drag from his cigarette. As far as he could tell, one of the Rivet City guards was taking care of his friend's wounds. Personally he didn't give a crap about them, but if these idiots were the key to helping Mei, he could learn to deal with it. Besides, with the Rivet City group here, he could finally get off this scorching roof.

Milton dragged Bentley behind one of the smaller hills. He didn't know who's side that sniper was on, so he wanted to be behind some kind of cover. Bentley was really out of it. Milton took off Bentley's damaged helmet, and checked for any blood. Luckily, it seemed he had walked away from this attack with nothing more than a headache.

Barker planted his feet firmly on the ground as he jumped off the last of the ladder. He made a quick survey of the brush behind the Super Duper Mart, and whistled as loud as he could. In moments, his dog Boomer came running out from the dead shrubbery.

"Hey Boomer!", said Barker. "You waited around here just like I asked. What a good boy you are. Lets go see if those two idiots are still alive!"

The raider Milton had shot was still alive. He lay on the ground moaning in pain. It was kind of strange for Milton to hear this insane person curse at him as he hid so close by. Then the raider's voice suddenly turned to panic.

"Who the [censored] are you?! Hey! No! No! NO!", the raider was abruptly silenced with the sound of a .308 round going into him.

"Hey! Where are you guys?", screamed a different voice. "I'm Barker. The guy you're supposed to meet. Get the [censored] out here! You've wasted more than enough of my time already you bastards!"

This man using the name Barker was enough to satisfy Milton, who was already getting out from behind the hill. Who he saw was a man who's looks just screamed "mercenary". He had a shaved head, and wore what seemed like a mixture of every typical merc outfit. And the way he had his sniper rifle slung on his shoulder with a cigarrette in his mouth, you'd think he was poseing on purpose.

"So you're the one that helped us take out those raiders.", said Milton with his hand out to shake.

"Yeah. Wasn't that hard. Now can we go?", he said ignoring Milton.

The group of three, five if you count the animals, travelled quite a ways that day. They set up camp out in the middle of the wastes and made two camp fires. Milton, Bentley, and the brahmin rested around their fire, while Barker and his dog sat aroundhttp://a-u-r-e-l.deviantart.com/art/waste-land-life-136992205. The two groups hadn't really spoken to each other through the whole trip so far, and it was making things a bit awkward.

"Whats your take on this guy Milton?", whispered Bentley before taking a bite out of his mirelurk cake.

"Hard to say really. He's barely spoken a word. All we know for sure is that he's a decent shot." Milton scraqed the last bit of food out of his pork n' beans can before chucking it into the darkness beyond the fire.

"Hey buddy! How does that ant meat taste?", Bentley asked Barker.

"I wouldn't talk to me if I were you.", he responded coldly. "Because of you guys being late, the only food I have left is what I can kill. I've been eating raw animal meat every meal for the last three days! At least now that I'm off that damn roof, I can roast the meat."

The three men fell back to their awkward silence for a while, until Milton tossed a can of cram to Barker. It landed at his feet, but he didn't pick it up right away. He looked at Milton and Bentley as if he was summing them up. What was their game?

Barker slowly picked up the can without taking his eyes off the two, and stabbed a hole into the can with his combat knife. Milton and Bentley watched in interest as Barker placed the can right next to the fire.

"What are you doing? You'll burn the meat!", said Bentley.

"What!", said Barker laughing. "I'm just heating up the food."

"Heating?Up?", said Milton.

"Are you telling me you don't eat warm food? Ever?"

"Well the meat is warm if it was just cooked, but you don't eat can food warm. It's travel food. Why would you risk heating it up. I didn't even know you could heat it. What's next, cold water!"

Barker looked ready to laugh at them again before Milton interrupted him.

"In the ruins, a fire like this is a death sentence. You must run, hide, or fight. If you're not Brotherhood you're doing either of the first two, and a fire makes it hard to do both. Even if you were underground, the smoke would choke you death. Only mutants get to have fires back in the ruins. So forgive us if we lack the experimentation to throw things in a fire."

After a slight pause, Barker nodded slightly as if he understood what Milton said. "Still pretty damn funny though."

That night, Milton didn't sleep much. He spent most of the night just staring into dwindling camp fire in front of him. The journey so far had exhausted him, but his mind was as active as ever. Above him, whole galaxies and nebulas shined in the night sky. From the flight deck of Rivet City, Milton would see many stars. But out here with no lights whatsoever, he saw everything the night sky had to offer.

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.", whispered Milton. "Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, when the nothing shines upon. Then you show your little light, twinkle twinkle all the night. Then the traveler in the dark thanks you for your little spark. He could not see where to go, if you did not twinkle so. Though I know not what you are, twinkle twinkle little star?"

"What was that?", asked Barker as he sat next to his dim fire.

"It was a song my father sang to me as a child. He found it in a childrens book. The only other songs I would have to go to bed to would have been from Enclave Radio, so he sang that a lot."

"Dear god, Enclave Radio." ,said Barker with a chuckle. "So what the hell are you still doing up?", asked Barker in a more serious tone that time.

"I'm an insomniac. Um?That means I have a lot of trouble going to sleep. Even if I'm tired."

"Then I guess neither of us is getting any sleep tonight. I'm on watch until morning." Milton then heard the sound of Barker adding a new magazine into his sniper rifle. "Well if you're not sleeping, you can at least shut the [censored] up. Your damn singing will give us away to every damn raider and critter that wanders over here.

"Fair enough?But just one last question for the night. When do we reach Tenpenny Tower?"

"Noon tomorrow."

Another chapter to this great story! SWEET

Ah! A new Chapter at last! Oh and sorry for not seeing your message, I don't check in that often anymore, not much activity around here anymore. Great chapter though! I can't wait to see how Milton as he is now will finally step up and be a true hero.

Ch.15: Friend and Foe To Come
Raven Rock, That Morning:

Daniel sighed as the elevator dinged and opened. He hated leaving the civilian block. Yet everyday his work demanded it. Daniel didn’t really see the point these days. The project’s budget would most likely be cut soon, which would inevitably lead to it being scrubbed. Then he would just be another meaningless maintenance worker. Sealing pipes, cleaning walkways, and god forbid, managing waste systems. Daniel had barely stepped out of the elevator when he started hearing soldiers mutter insults.

“[censored] http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Enclave_Citizen", someone muttered to his left.

“Waste of space”, said someone to his right.

“Do you need a foot rub? We wouldn’t want you to feel stressed.”, said an officer followed by the laughter of his men.

It had been like this for Daniel for as long as he could remember. Just under 30 years ago, the Enclave had a total population of 23,000 citizens and climbing. Barely half of the first wave of evacuees got on their vertibirds when the Oil Rig blew up in a mushroom cloud. When the dust settled, the Enclave roughly numbered 3,400. Most of that being the soldiers stationed in Navarro and other beachheads in the mainland. When the exodus to the east was complete, only 2,300 made it to Raven Rock. Entire convoys had simply vanished into the wasteland, and with them, most of what was left of the civilian population.

Ever since, the soldiers have outnumbered the civilians 4 to 1. At first this lead to confusion, then frustration, and finally resentment towards the civilian population by the military. A civilian was not obligated to fight and was thus considered an unproductive investment of resources by many in the new administration. Some people went so far as to say they were nearly cancerous.

Because of this new stigma towards civilians, most couples raised their children to be on their way towards being soldiers and scientists by age 16. Any civilians past that age were usually young girls who were supposed to get married and make a bunch of little soldiers for the next generation of America.

The steel door whizzed open as Daniel entered the lab. Walls of monitors giving live feed of the Capital Wasteland were on the other side of the room. An operator was assigned to each cluster of screens, and Daniel’s station was empty. As he took his seat, he got some nasty looks from the other operators. The project was already in trouble, and the last it needed was its workers being late.

It was about two hours later when Daniel saw anything interesting on one of the monitors: Three wastelanders, a dog, and a Brahmin sitting around an old campfire. Daniel switched the eyebot to manual control, and transferred the feed to the main screen at his station.

Barker was the first to see the eyebot coming in. He had half a mind to shoot it, but figured it was a waste of a good bullet. Those eyebots never really did anything except spew that annoying crap of a radio station. Milton was interested in it though.

“You know I’ve only seen a couple of these before. They don’t last long in the ruins. A super mutant usually gets them. But they must be replaced, or else they would all be gone by now.”

“Maybe.”, said Bentley.

“You don’t give a damn. Do you?”

“Nope.”, responded Bentley.

Intrigued by the wastelanders reactions, Daniel turned on the audio for the feed. He started hearing Milton and Bentley arguing about the eyebot, which he found to be quite funny. Milton actually grabbed the eyebot to get a look at all the details of the machine.

“Operator Wright. Why is a wastelander in possession of that eyebot.”, said Yvonne Taylor.

“Captain Taylor!”, exclaimed Daniel very nervously. “I’m just observing these wastelanders. That one is showing particularly unusual behavior.”

“Come on Milton! Leave it alone!”, said Bentley’s voice through the monitor. “Why do you even care?”

“Haven’t you ever just stopped and wonder about the things you see every day? How does this thing hover? How can they work like a radio? Just imagine what other stuff the people who made this have! I want to see it all!”

“What the hell is wrong with your friend?”, asked Barker.

“He read way too many books before I met him. He’s beyond help really. Heh Heh Heh.”

“Hey Bentley, can you do me a favor?”

“Yeah?”

“Go [censored] yourself.”

“There may be hope left.”, said Barker.

Daniel chuckled at the antics of these three men, while Captain Taylor only looked in disdain.

“What is your opinion of these wastelanders Mr. Wright?”, asked the captain.

“Hmm…I never really think about it that much. I guess I respect them somewhat. There they are surviving everyday in a wasteland filled with monsters and radiation, while I stay safe and cozy inside this fortress. The more civilized bunch would make fine Americans once the government takes control back.”

Captain Taylor watched as Daniel returned to watching the monitors. Little did he know, he had answered her question very…very wrong. And the captain was going to make sure everyone in the room knew it.

“Operator Wright, please stand up.”

“Is there something wrong ma’am?”, he asked as he obeyed the order.

“Operator Wright…Do you see people on that monitor right now?”

“Yes ma’am. I see some people at least once a week on those monitors.”

“No you don’t. There are no PEOPLE out there. What you see are near-humans. They look like us…sometimes…but they are as mutated as any of those abominations called ghouls and super mutants. They eat filth, drink toxic water, and live like animals. PEOPLE do not have that lifestyle.”

“Then we give them food and a bath. Will that make them people ma’am?!”, responded Daniel with a hint of anger in his voice.

Captain Taylor smiled slightly at his response. She had found a liberal in the Enclave. Now she got to bury him.

“Mr. Wright, do you know your rights? Americans have many rights. The right to bear arms, the right to own property, the right to join the armed forces, and even the right to enjoy baseball. But you DO NOT have the right to criticize your government like some damn COMMUNIST!!!”

Everyone in the room was now paying attention. Calling someone a communist. The greatest enemy America ever had. Was the highest insult one could deliver, and an accusation taken very seriously. So much so, that Daniel was actually getting nervous.

“I-I’m not criticizing our government or its policies ma’am. I love America and the Enclave! I was just suggesting that perhaps your outlook on the wastelanders was a little extreme. On a purely personal level! I swear!”

“Mr. Wright, the right of free speech does not extend as far as you so please. If you were a soldier I would have you shot, but because you are a civilian I can only have you re-educated. Honestly you civilians are treated far too well.”

As Daniel was being dragged away by power armored soldiers, Captain Taylor began writing her recommendation to expand the eyebot surveillance program. With properly screened staff against un-American behavior of course.

interesting, I wonder what's going to happen to the guy. Its nice to see the Enclave from a civilian perspective, I always wondered why there were no civilian enclave in fallout 3. Good to see another chapter so soon

I. LOVE. THIS. Keep going!

Just started to read your fan fiction the last few days. I have been enjoying it quite well. I really like how your writing style has improved since the first couple of chapters. The pictures were a good idea to do. If I was any good at art, I would make some for my story. Keep up the good work.

Thank you. I feel like I'm in transition between some new ideas. I just want to get these next few chapters out of the way so I can impliment them. Things have just been progressing much slower than I wanted them to.

And in regards to the pictures, I just steal them

I spend hours on the internet looking for pictures that match up closely to the situations in my writing. For instance, the next chapter will have much more detailed images of what I invisioned Milton to look like. I've had them in my computer for five months just waiting until I could use them. (True Story)

I know I should ask for permission from most of these people but its not like I'm making money off of it. Besides, all my artistic talent is in the form of writing and storytelling. If I dont do this I'm left with stick figures.

Sannes Vallen under a new name, and I'm loving your transition in writing style. You seem to have gained a lot more substance to your writing since I last checked. You should really compile all of your writings for this and add them to your resume if you ever apply for a job requiring creative writing skills or a literary college.

I have just read everything up until now, and I must say, if you've managed to keep me hooked through character developement (which for many proffesional authors is impossible), then I shudder to think what I will become when the plot unfolds.

Hey wasteland scholar, ive been reading this story since the day you started it. i have been on these forums for a while but just now i have decided to make an account. let me tell you something though: YOU ARE AMAZING. i love this fricking story and im so hooked. please, PLEASE, come out with a new chapter soon or i might just go crazy. youve held us up long enough haha.

Ch.16: How the Other Half Lives

It was not long before Tenpenny Tower came into view. It seemed very out of place in the wasteland. The tower was surrounded by blasted nothingness, yet it stood alone tall and proud. Milton could feel his heart pounding with excitement as the group approached the front gate.

“You are currently trespassing on private property. State your business, or leave.”, said the intercom.

“This is Barker. I’m with the group from Rivet City. We have the supplies.”

“Wait one moment.”, responded the intercom.

The front gate immediately opened. Opening up to a whole squad of Tenpenny Security with their guns pointed at the whole group. One of the guards, the apparent leader, stepped forward. He walked up to the cart and began inspecting the boxes and crates. When he confirmed nothing was tampered with, he opened up one of the boxes.

Milton couldn’t believe what he saw. VEGETABLES! REAL VEGETABLES!!! The same things Sted would tell him about for bedtime stories! Right next to him this whole trip!

“Hmm…Alright you can come in now, but the brahmin stays outside. I am Chief Gustavo, head of security. On behalf of Tenpenny Tower, your service is appreciated.”

“Hey! Where’s our half of the deal? This is a trade isn’t it?”, said Bentley.

“We don’t have it yet.” , said Gustavo as Barker walked passed him. “Barker and his little gang are going to fetch it for us. You see we gave him a two-part job. Escort you two here personally, and join his crew in retrieving the parts you asked for.”

“Seems a little unprofessional. Making us wait while you get your stuff right on the spot.”, said Milton.

“Apparently your city council didn’t bother giving their little errand boys all the details. You will be allowed to stay in the tower as guests until Barker returns with your share.”
o
As they were being led into the building, Milton caught Barker in the corner of his eye. He was discussing with three other mercs clad in leather armor. There was a concerned look on his face, but before Milton could even put any thought behind it, he was inside.

Milton and Bentley looked in awe at the sight of the hotel lobby. The floors were made of clean tile. A chandelier hanged from the ceiling made of shining glass. And vases were filled with plants, but much to Milton’s disappointment, they were fake.

“What’s this! A couple of filthy wastelanders, who are poorly dressed as well. You’re tracking in dirt you know”, said a young man with a smug look on his face.

“Hey! Who are you calling filthy [censored]!”, screamed Bentley. “I ought to kick your ass just to teach you some manners!”

Milton got in front of Bentley and held him back. “We can’t fight! We’re here as guests. Look around you. You’re standing inside Tenpenny [censored] Tower! Don’t let him ruin that!”

Bentley lowered his fists and started calming down. Milton usually had the cooler head of the two. So through the course of their friendship, Bentley has learned to listen to Milton every time he reasoned with him. With Bentley calmer, Milton turned around and completely transformed his speech into something of the upmost politeness and eloquence.

“Excuse me sir. Please forgive my companion’s aggressive demeanor. We both have just completed a fairly stressful journey. But may I ask who you are, and why you take such offense to our prescence?”

The man made an intrigued face before responding. “Hmm, interesting. I never imagined a wastelander could speak in such a dignified manner, though it hardly makes up for everything else wrong with you. My name is Anthony Ling, proprietor of New Urban Apparel. I’ve lived in Tenpenny Tower for so long that I’ve nearly forgotten my time in the wasteland. That is, until I saw you two. I live here to avoid the unwashed masses. You offend me because you are what you are.”

“I see…”, said Milton maintaining his polite demeanor. “Well we’ll try to be subtle with our presence. Good day.” As Milton and Bentley walked away, Milton whispered into Bentley’s ear in an almost frightening tone. “That man is going to die naked in a ditch someday.”

The two men spent a few hours in the Federalist Lounge after their encounter with Anthony Ling. Bentley spent the time savoring the fine whiskey next to a barely conscious Michael Hawthorne, while Milton quietly listened to the jukebox. Neither of them really knew what to do beyond that. They really didn’t belong here, or at least it felt like they didn’t belong. It wasn’t until they started feeling hungry that they could decide where to go next.

The man at the front desk pointed them towards a place called Café Beau Monde for food. It was a nice little restaurant. A kind looking old woman was behind the counter chopping some lettuce. The two men took a seat together and picked up the menus on the table. Bentley took a quick look and tossed the menu in frustration. He was illiterate, just like the other two thirds of the wasteland. At least in Gary’s Galley they had drawings on the menu. A crab claw for mirelurk, a cow for Brahmin, and the shapes of the bottles drinks came in.

“My goodness! You two just look exhausted! You two must be those nice boys from the wasteland that brought those supplies. I can’t cook my best meals without those vegetables you brought. Consider all your meals here free.”, said Ms. Primrose. A smile on her face the whole time.

“Thank you ma’am, but I must say, I don’t think we can order anything.” ,said Milton.

“Now why is that?”, she asked.

“I have no idea what any of these things are. Spaghetti, salad, cheese?”

“How can you not…Oh! That’s right, how embarrassing! It’s been so long since I was in the wasteland. I suppose you wouldn’t know about those things. I’ll just start you off with water and some salad.”

When Ms. Primrose walked away with the menus, Bentley started asking Milton about the residents behavior.

“What the hell is wrong with these people?! They all dress like Bannon, and you know I always thought he dressed like an ass. Then there’s that [censored] from before who hates us just because were from the outside. And now there’s this old lady who expects us to know about her crazy food!”

Milton sat patiently listening to his friend’s ranting. Waiting for him to finish. When Bentley was done, Milton thought very carefully on the matter. Bentley was surprisingly upset about this, and Milton wanted his next words to calm him down.

“Well I think all these people have been in here too long. They’ve gone soft, real soft. They stay shut up in their tower, and let themselves become oblivious to the outside world. Most of these people don’t give a damn about us or the other people who suffer, but they don’t matter okay. We’re here now and that’s all that matters. Just enjoy your stay and ignore the rest of these people.”

Milton silenced himself as the old woman came back. She was holding two plates filled with chopped lettuce and tomatoes. Milton was actually nervous about having the salad. He had never seen green plants once in his life. It seemed a waste to just eat it. He would’ve much preferred saving it somehow. But these vegetables came from Rivet City, and he was going to find out how.

Bentley pecked at a piece of lettuce and looked rather disappointed by the taste. Milton shoved a whole leaf into his mouth and carefully savored the taste. It was incredible. There was no rotten taste, it was crisp and fresh. Unlike anything he had ever eaten. The taste was a little bitter, but this was the first thing in a long time that felt distinctly like food. The tomatoes were even better, filling his mouth with a flavorful juice after every bite.

“Oh my, I forgot the water. I’ll be right back” , said Ms. Primrose.

When she came back, both men were stopped dead cold by what they saw. She was holding a huge fancy glass pitcher filled with crystal clear water! Milton hadn't seen clean water since he was eight years old, and Bentley had never seen it even once.

"Where did you get that much clean water!", asked a shocked Milton.

"While the water on the lower floors is filtered, it has a small amount of radiation in it. It perfectly fine for washing your hands with or bathing, but Mr. Tenpenny makes sure all of our drinking water is completely purified. After all, I make his meals too. I have four pitchers like this being chilled in my fridge right now, so don't you be shy about drinking as much as you want."

Bentley suddenly snatched the pitcher from her hands and started drinking the water straight out of the pitcher, water dripping off his chin as he gulped the rush of water going into his mouth.

"My goodness at least let me get you a glass!", said Ms. Primrose somewhat frightened.

Milton got out of his chair so fast that it fell over to get beside Bentley, barely able to keep himself from taking the pitcher from his friend.

“Damn it Bentley! One more swig and then it’s my turn!”, declared Milton in an almost threatening tone.

Bentley gave up the pitcher to Milton who proceeded to drink from it even more voraciously than Bentley did. He coughed in between every other gulp, spilling water every time, not bothering to stop drinking even for a breath of air.

Every other person in the room was looking in disgust as the two men passed the pitcher back and forth spilling water all over the floor, table, and themselves. One woman even left the room outright. When the pitcher was finally empty, both men were gasping for air. With the only thing Milton saying was, “We’re going to need more.”

It was while drinking his third glass of water from the second pitcher that Milton suddenly stopped and put down his glass. He was feeling things he never felt before. His stomach was full of liquid; he could even hear it swish around when he moved. His breath felt cool from all the cold water he swallowed. His lips, once cracked and yellowish-brown, were now softer and had regained some of their natural pink coloring. And above all, his throat no longer felt sore and parched.

“Hey Bentley.”, said Milton with an uncertain look on his face.

“Is something wrong? You don’t look to good.”

“Wha-? No…No everything’s fine. It’s just that…I don’t think I’m thirsty anymore…”

For a moment the two sat in silence. Both of them absorbing the gravity of that statement. “I’m not thirsty anymore”. Neither of them have ever said that in their entire lives. The two men then started laughing hysterically. Tears of joy coming from their eyes.

“Um, are you ready for your main course, sirs?”, asked Ms. Primrose.

“Yes we are ma’am, and I would like to apologize for our previous behavior. It’s just that…Water like this doesn’t exist almost anywhere else outside these walls. I’m sorry if we offended you.”, said Milton apologetically.

“I understand…I think. I have some brahmin stew ready for you. I decided to make you something you would find more familiar. ”, she responded.

With full stomachs and a quenched thirst, the two men went their separate ways. Each wanted to enjoy a different pleasure of Tenpenny Tower. Bentley began his search for womanly company. Which he would find with one Susan Lancaster. While Milton, exhausted from the trip, sought the more innocent pleasures that were provided in his room.

As part of their stay here, both Milton and Bentley were each given a guest room. They were smaller and more modest than the other rooms, and were mainly used to give potential tenants an idea of what the quality of life was like in Tenpenny Tower.

Milton walked up to the bed, noticing two pairs of clean clothes. One was some casual pre-war attire, and the other one was a simple pair of white pajamas. Next to the clothes was a note that said the clothes were complimentary. It also STRONGLY recommended that he wore the casual attire for the duration of his stay. Giving Milton the impression people around here didn't like the way Rivet City Security looks.

At the corner of the room, Milton saw a small shower. It was a tempting offer. Milton usually had on only three or four baths a year. Mostly because more times than not, a bath left you coated with even more dirt and Mirelurks had it in their heads that they owned the Potomac.

Milton meticulosly removed the padding of his combat armor until only the under shirt remained. Which reeked of sweat, blood, and anyother body fluid that Milton and any of its other previous owners put into it. After taking off the shirt, he untied his shoe laces and took off the boots and socks, then the pants, and finally his underwear.

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs25/f/2008/184/5/b/nvde_by_Veggie_BurgerQueen.jpg with the round mirror hanging above the sink. For a moment something seemed wrong with his eyes, the color of his eyes almost looked blood red. But after he splashed some water over his face to wake himself up they were hazel again. He dismissed it as evidence of him being tired.

Milton hadn't looked at himself in a mirror like this for a long time. There were no decent mirrors in Rive City, always broken into small pieces or too dirty to see anything. Now it was as if he was looking at a stranger.

He had put a little bit of muscle from all the exercise he got out of being security. And two square meals a day had finally put a few pounds on him. He was still scrawny, but at least he didn't look like a skeleton anymore. His hair had also grown long and unkempt. An unwilliness to shave with a combat knife allowed a stubby beard to grow on his face.

Reacquainted with himself, Milton picked up the biggest bar of soap he had ever seen and stepped into the shower. The warm water was a shock to him. Within minutes, dirt that had been caked onto his body for years was just washed away. As the hot water enveloped Milton, his entire body relaxed and succumbed to the warmth. He just collapsed in the shower and sat on the floor...Crying.

Wow! I must say this is one of the best chapters yet! I can't get enough of your writing! Great job! It made me want to drink some nice cold water too.

One question: How did Bently managed to pick up Susan smelling like a lifetime's worth of sweat and other manly odors?

Afterall, 15 out of 20 beautiful blonde women agree that smell is one of the 5 most important senses.

Scholar, I would like to appologize for ever thinking this Fan Fic was not worth the time to read. Allow me to explain myself. Some months back I searched the Fallout Fan fic section for something to read while Malx worked on her story. Your story was just starting up at this time, and I shot it down without giving it much thought and moved onto fics that no longer show up on the board. After reading chaper one and two my intrest was perks, and by the time Milton had his first taste of purified water, why tears were brought to my eyes. I felt that young boy's graditude towards his foster parent and feel cheated! This fault is not yours but falls on my brother, for he thought it grand to move his 360 and friends into the living room while I was reading the mutant death scene.

I not only ask your forgiveness, but thank you. I shall never judge a fanfic for its spelling errors again. (I believe goes without saying that I eagerly await the next chapter. Oh, and afew of the old pics no longer work. )

Wow. I never had anyone give an apology like that to me before. ^_^

I appreciate the kind words, and thanks for telling me about the defective pics. I investigated immediately. I didn't even wait to make this reply

I have no real control over the pictures. None of them are mine. I just make links to them, but I did contact the artist on deviantart and I'm waiting for a response.

Once again, thank you and I'm happy to have you as a reader.

I understand...And now that you have quoted me, all of my spelling errors are clear. Maddening...Anyway I wish you luck on getting the pics repaired.

Its because its Susan Lancaster

Ch.17: Slave To The Tower

That night, Milton couldn't sleep again. Bentley came over and shared a meal with him. They talked, mostly about their stay in the tower. Bentley made a crack about how different Milton looked clean shaven and bathed. Milton suggested he do the same. Now that he didn't smell as bad, he finally noticed how bad Bentley smelled.

Before long Milton was alone in his room again. He sat there http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs46/f/2009/195/4/d/4d4a83b610df65eceb5fb72b850622e8.jpg, wondering how he got here from where he was, and what he would do from here. Exhaustion finally took over as he fell backwards. The bed was so soft, and as he wrapped the blanket all over himself, he fell into a deep sleep.

Morning came gently for Milton. He dreamt of being http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs29/f/2008/047/5/0/Apocalyptical_by_lychi.jpg again. He found himself missing them despite all the time he's had to put it behind him.

"Hmmmmm....No, I don't see anything wrong with your eyes in particular. Not in the way of redness or irritation that is." ,said Doctor Banfield peering through his http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Ophthalmoscope.

"I just thought my eyes were red for a second. I guess I did imagine it.” , said Milton with a hint of doubt.

“My main concern is your poor oral hygiene.”

“What?”

“When was the last time you brushed your teeth? You have the worst case of gingivitis that I’ve ever seen. Not to mention the worst case of bad breath.”

“Brush my teeth? I can’t even rinse my mouth out. The water just leaves a worse taste in my mouth. ”

“Oh dear…”, said Doctor Banfield as he rolled his chair away and wrote some notes on his clipboard.

"Anything else doctor?"

"Hm? Oh no, you can leave now. I'll send over some medical supplies and instructions to your room later today. They will be useful to you even after your stay with us is over."

"Thank you."

Breakfast in Café Beau Monde was a rare delight, steak and eggs. Milton never had eggs before, and asked where they came from. According to Ms. Primrose, they were vulture eggs. Usually only Mr. Tenpenny got to eat them because of their rarity. A vulture only laid two or three eggs a year! Which made it all the more delicious to Milton.

A fantastic breakfast, clean clothes, a pitcher of water on the table, and a 200 year old newspaper for reading material. It was looking to be a relaxing day, until a woman with a black eye came out of the elevator in the lobby.

"General Constantine Chase Retires Position After Heroic Liberation of Alaska", said Milton as he read the headline out loud to himself. He proceeded to read quietly to himself when the other people in the cafe were giving him looks for reading what they had assumed was a decoration for all these years.


Constantine Chase, a man who will forever be written among the greatest heroes of America and most brilliant strategists in military history, has announced his retirement from the Armed Forces. This comes two weeks after the general's declaration that Alaska was completely free of all comunist presence with the controversial televised execution of 60 enemy combatants involved in the Kenai Pocket. The last Chinese position in Alaska to fall after the reclamation of Anchorage.

Chase was unavailable for comment, but an official statement from the Pentagon claims that the general's retirement stems from severe battle fatigue after the prolonged campaign. The President himself released a statement on the issue, declaring "General Constantine Chase has honored his obligations to America by giving us back our country. Now General Neal Bannister has to honor his obligations and get his ass out of Shanghai and into Beijing!"

Though no information was given on what Chase is doing now, leaked information from the Pentagon confirms that he has been hired by Virtual Strategic Solutions Inc., a private contractor for the military. The purpose of his position will be to supervise the creation of a state-of the-art virtual simulation of key moments in the Battle of Anchorage, so that future generations will have an unprecedented look at this pivotal moment in American and quite possibly human history. Story Continued On pg.6

It was while he was absorbed in the article that Mei Wong entered the cafe. She assumed he was just another tenant with the pre-war clothes he was wearing, and paid him no mind as she navigated her way towards Ms. Primrose.

"Oh! I haven't seen you down here in so long darling. Is there something I can get you?"

"Yes! Master Tenpenny would like his sandwhich bread today for a change of pace." Mei hesitated before continueing. "...And can I get something to eat?"

Ms. Primrose looked nervous after that last remark. She got out of her kitchen and sat Mei down with her at a table.

"You know Mr. Tenpenny feeds you. You're not supposed to eat with te rest of us down here!", whispered Ms. Primrose.

"I know that! Just...Please!", said Mei with her eyes tearing up.

"...Fine", said Ms. Primrose with hesitation. "Go sit next next to that gentleman over there. He's not a tenant so he wont mind you like the others."

Mei took her seat next to Milton who had been oblivious to everything till now, and waited for Ms. Primrose.

"Do you know what the Stock Market is?", asked Milton.

"What?"

"First this paper talks about a war which I can kind of understand, but then the next page says the Stock Market is on the verge of collapse. How does a market crash? Do you think we should be worrying about that? Heh heh heh."

Mei didn't respond to Milton, which started making him feel pretty embarrased.

"Sorry...A bad attempt at humor.", he said.

Milton got a little concerned when he noticed the black eye. He asked her about it, but she sat motionless and silent. He only became more concerned when she started eating Ms. Primrose's leftovers as if she never eaten before in her life.

Before she could even finish half of her food, two Tenpenny Tower Guards walked in. As soon as they saw her, one of them charged towards Mei. He grabbed her by the head and slammed her face against the table. Milton was stunned by what he saw.

"Mr. Tenpenny is waiting for his [censored] breakfast, and you're stuffing your face like the [censored] you are!", screamed the man who proceeded to drag her by the hair.

Milton got up to stop him, but the other guard took out his assualt rifle. Milton stood there as she was pulled into the cellar. The other guard smirked and walked away when the walls surrendered the muffled sound of a beating.

Milton wasn't sure what to do. Ms. Primrose had gotten emotional and told him to leave at once. He had no idea what the story was behind this woman who was just attacked right in front of him. All he could do was wait in the lobby, and sip on his glass of water.

Fifteen minutes later, the guard from before entered the lobby with a satisfied look in his face. Ms. Primrose had already delivered Mr. Tenpenny's food in Mei's place. With that issue resolved no one, not even Ms. Primrose, seemed to care where she was.

She came into lobby sometime later. She had a limp and was so badly beaten she barely reached a chair.

"Why did they do that to you?", asked Milton.

"You really aren't a tenant are you.", she said.

"No. I'm from Rivet City as part of a trade deal between our city council and Mr. Tenpenny.", explained Milton.

"Do you know a man named Barker?", she asked weakly.

"Yes he was our guide to get here, and from what I understand he is also getting the supplies we were promised as we speak."

Mei's eyes suddenly flickered with hope when they were empty and hollow just a moment ago.

"Barker is my...husband. He isn't getting paid for this job you know. He's risking his life, his squad, and his principles just to get me back.", she said with tears in her eyes.

"What are you doing here then? I thought Tenpenny Tower was for the rich and powerful."

"I can’t say it too loud...or...or they'll hurt me again. I belong to Mr. Tenpenny as his slave."

"I don't know him that well, but Barker hardly gives off the impression of a man who lets his wife go to slavery."

"It happened almost two years ago....Barker's a Regulator, or at least he used to be. He wasn't your typical one though. He was a merc before he was a Regulator, and his merc crew stuck by him through the career change. Usually they went after raiders, slavers, and even Talon Company one time. They were ferocious, and Barker felt they were making a difference. But people like him always end up making powerful enemies."

"The slavers, I presume." ,interrupted Milton.

"They found our base somehow. We never stayed with the other regulators you see. Barker and half his men were gone on a job that turned out to be an ambush. The slavers sent three other squads teams to attack our base while there buddies were taking care of Barker. They killed four good men, and violated me as they set fire to our home."

"What happened after all this?"

"The slavers took me to Paradise Falls a few days later. I was sold to Allistair Tenpenny as a 'specialty slave'. I was destined to come here from the start. I've been Tenpenny's personal pet for what seems like an eternity, and every day I try to make it all end.", Mei said before breaking out in tears.

"You mean...kill yourself...", said Milton with an all too well understanding of how she felt.

"Yes. But learning that Barker is alive has given me so much hope. We're going to leave together soon and start over."

Milton nodded and made a weary smile before helping her up off the chair. He didn't really know anything about this woman or Barker, yet he felt very concerned for them both. It was a rare trait in the world today, and one that put a great burden on his soul. Misery was everywhere, and in shapes and forms he had previously never imagined. He liked to believe he had the ability to help people. Even if it was just talking to them, or giving some good news.

It was hard for him sort out his feelings that day. He spent his time in the shower, cleaning his combat armor, eating, and just lying down. All the while thinking about all the evil in the world. He ran away from it when he lived in Rivet City, but now that he was outside again, he was forced to remember everything.

For so long, he believed what had happened to him was one of the worst things that had ever happened in the world. He lost his dads without even getting to say goodbye, and they were killed by real monsters right in front of him. But the world is so much worse than that. People died every single day, and others wished they were dead. There were no families anymore, only orphans, only false hope, only agony as we all forced ourselves to live. Only those who don’t deserve to live survive. People like himself, who are too weak to ever deserve survival. And people like everyone else around him, who are too stupid and evil to ever deserve to breath.

Before he continued to spiral even deeper into his dark thoughts, Milton got out of bed and tried to enjoy the now. He felt like having a nuka-cola.

Ch.18: A Choice

It was the morning Barker was due back, and Milton was sitting on the bed of his room. He was still dressed in his pajamas, with his 10mm SMG by his side. Magazine full, safety off, and Milton had a decision to make.

He had debated over this decision many times in his life. In his scavenger days, Milton would contemplate pulling the pin out of a grenade while Sted and Dennis weren’t looking. Occasionally, he would slice his wrist in the darkness of night while those around him slept. In Rivet City, there were times Milton was sure he would beat Mr. Lopez in jumping off Bridge Tower.

Most of the time these bouts of depression were random, but today there was a more specific reason behind it. For the first time in his life, he had hot food in his stomach, clean clothes on his back, a soft bed to sleep on, and a hot bath. He was quite possibly at the apex of his entire life. What was left for him in the wasteland? If he pulled the trigger, he could end his life on a positive note. As he stared at the gun in his hand, Bentley barged into the room fully dressed in his security uniform.

“Hey! Barker’s early, Milton. What the hell are you still doing in those pajamas?”

“Oh…Just checking my gun. I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

Bentley nodded in acknowledgment and left for the lobby. Never realizing he had saved Milton’s life.

Outside, things looked rather tense. Half of Tenpenny’s security was at the front with a man dressed in a very fine suit who Milton and Bentley hadn’t seen yet. Barker looked as if he had been mauled by a Yao Guai, and only had one of his men with him.

“Ah. Our honored guests. My name is Mr. Burke. We have not met, but I represent Mr. Tenpenny himself. The equipment you requested has just arrived. Some…Developments…Have made us pressed for time and I must ask you to leave the premises immediately.”

Barker came up to Milton with a smile and shook his hand. It was a little strange for him to have that demeanor with all the injuries, but as that thought crossed his mind, Milton felt a piece of paper slipped into his hand.

“You be careful on your way back. Your stuff is in those metal boxes, so don’t lose sight of them.”, said Barker before patting Milton on the back.

Milton followed Bentley to the Brahmin and let him start strapping the boxes to the Brahmin, which would travel faster without the cart, while Milton read the piece of paper Barker handed him.

DON’T LEAVE! MAKE ANY EXCUSE!!!!!

Milton wasn’t sure what to do. Something bad was about to happen and he had the choice to be a part of it or not. It soon dawned on him that this must have something to do with Mei. He remembered Mei’s story, and knew he would be in Barker’s camp on this one.

“Uh…Mr. Burke…We’ll have to inspect this equipment. We are under orders to go down a checklist and make sure everything is here.”

For an instant, Mr. Burke’s face showed the slightest bit of agitation before returning to its calm and cool state.

“That is not necessary. Our men have inspected it already. It would be rude to overstay your welcome.”

“Then I’ll have to rude.”, replied Milton. “I can’t trust your goons, or this mercenary to have brought everything we asked for in its proper condition. We’re out here in the courtyard, so we aren’t bothering your tenants. There is no reason for you to object to us being here for half-an-hour checking our goods. Or is your relationship with Rivet City of no concern to you!”

Mr. Burke made a strained smile and allowed Milton to proceed opening the metal boxes. Inside the boxes were a variety of special light bulbs, fission and fusion batteries, nutrient solutions, and other things Milton couldn’t imagine a use for. He just did his best to pretend to know what he was doing, waiting for Barker to make his move.

“Burke! Now that my job is done, I expect to get Mei back!”, demanded Barker.

“Is it really the appropriate time to discuss that? Our guests haven’t even departed.”, said Burke as he casually readjusted his glasses.

“Do you have a problem if I’m reunited with my wife in front of you?”, Barker asked Milton.

“No. I’m fine with that…Bentley?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s okay.”, said a slightly confused Bentley.

“Mei Wong is saying her goodbyes to the residents of the tower. They made some…attachments…during her stay with us. She will be out shortly.”

“They didn’t seem so attached when they were beating her yesterday!”, accused Milton.

“An unfortunate incident! She will be out shortly!”, said a tense Mr. Burke.

“One more question!”, demanded Barker. “When did you get Talon Company on your payroll? I lose my dog to the warehouse’s security, and then a [censored] Talon Hit Squad kills almost all my men!”

Barker reached into his pocket and pulled out a wadded up piece of paper covered in dried blood.

“I found this while going through the mangled bodies of your [censored] lackeys! You hired them to kill us and deliver the parts in our place. Why?! I’m working for free! Who would hire two merc groups just to have them kill each other?!”

“You are hardly working for free!”, responded Mr. Burke. “You’ve come here asking for a piece of Mr. Tenpenny’s property. He never parts with his property.”

The seven tower guards pointed their guns at all of them. Waiting for someone to make a mistake, so everyone can start killing each other.

“Boy?”, said Mr. Burke in a furious voice. “You get one chance to leave here unscathed. ONE CHANCE!!!”

Milton looked all around, doubting himself at the last second. Burke had a truly menacing look in his eyes. Like the eyes of a deathclaw staring down at its pathetic prey before eviscerating it. The Tower Guards had so many guns, and confident smirks on their faces. Ready to kill this small gang of wastelanders without the slightest effort. While his only allies were a pair of wounded and bloodied men, and a scared Bentley.

It was a VERY bad situation, and Milton was so nervous he thought he was going to throw up his heart. Yet a single stray thought filled him with anger that would be his strength: What would “they” do?

Sted and Dennis would run. They would run as hard and fast as they could. How many times did they tell him to cower behind some [censored] rock. Well they were gone. And now Milton could finally make a decision for himself.

“LEAVE!!!”, ordered Mr. Burke.

“…No…”, responded Milton.

Ah, its good to see another chapter again! I like seeing Milton's character development in action. Keep up the good work and hurry with the next chapter. This cliffhanger is killing me!

Okay, let me tell you what is going to be happening with the story from here on out.

I've dropped the ball lately and have been way too slow with my updates. With that last posting of mine I've ran out of ready-to-type chapters. I'll need to write up at least three more chapters before my next posting. I know that sounds like a lot, but that was the system I had before when I was posting chapters more regularly. So expect an absence of updates that could last till mid-July. But after that, you'll start seeing the 1-2 updates per week pace again.

Just bear with me a little while longer, and I'll get the story on track again.

Note From The Author:
Hey guys! Sorry about the short chapter after making you guys wait so long. Now in case you get confused about the chapter, I DID NOT skip a chapter. Everything I do, I do for a reason. Everything is finally back on track, and you can expect another chapter in the next few days.




Ch.19: A Consequence

"You...Lost...EVERYTHING!!!", roared Bannon.

"As I said, we had wounded and several men after us. It was a choice between leaving them or the components.", responded Milton calmly.

"Those vegetables represented 80% of our hydroponics system output. We have barely enough for seeds now.", said an exhausted Dr. Li.

"Your man was supposed to be the best protection we could trust. Instead we lose everything over some slave woman! This is on your head Harkness!", accused Bannon.

"Milton...As a member of the Security Force, your first duty is to Rivet City.", said Harkness.

"I would never have forgiven myself if I had walked away from helping those people.", said Milton with a heavy heart.

"I understand", said Harkness with a sigh. "You are dismissed from Rivet City Security. You will be escorted to the armory where you will turn in your weapons and armor."

"Will I still be allowed to attend the funeral?"

"Of course.", said Harkness sympathetically.

"Thank you...I just-...Thank you."

"You may go now.", said Dr. Li very coldly as she looked through the latest reports on the struggling hydroponics system.

That evening, Milton was the talk of the ship. Few people knew all the details, but people rarely care about the details. All they needed to know was that Milton was a failure, and public enemy number one. If any good at all came out of this situation, it was that Mei Wong was finally safe in Rivet City. Even if she was now alone.

It was difficult for Milton to feel anything during Bentley's funeral. There was to much regret, to much shame, it crushed his soul and made him hollow. All he could manage was a slight bow of respect as Bentley's body was carried past him on a stretcher.

The entire ceremony was loosely based off of the burials at sea conducted by the navy before the Great War. It's correct execution was lost to time, becoming more distorted and less formal as the years went by. Milton first saw it at Brad Danvers funeral.

No one spoke about Bentley. He had few friends, and was considered slow by most people. There were no tears amongst those of the security force present. Father Clifford spoke briefly. Giving Bentley's body his blessings, asking God and Saint Monica to watch over his immortal soul. It meant very little to Milton.

With little else said, Bentley's body was thrown off the side of the flight deck. Milton had always thought that part of the ceremony was very inappropriate. Especially for a friend. The mirelurks below would be feasting off his corpse like every other carcass that gets thrown overboard. This wasn't a ceremony for a friend. It was a ceremony for garbage.

what happened here?

Ch.20: Enlistment

June 2275, Raven Rock:


Daniel was sitting across from his parents in the cold metal box that was their living room. He hadn't spoken as much as a word for three days. He had only gotten out of re-education last week, and it tends to leave people brain-drained.

His father was able to get him out early. Citing his military record and his wife's exemplary performance in the Chemical Corps as proof of their family's loyalty, and by extension, their son's loyalty. It also helps to have Colonel Autumn as a friend of the family.

Daniel spent his first two days out of re-education endlessly thanking his parents for getting him out. His silence only started when his father asked what he intended to do from now on. It was a question Daniel didn't want to think about.

The eyebot program was the last tolerable assignment that was available to civilians. With that gone, his options were running out. His days as a civilian were over.

"Your father and I felt it was best we had you over and figure this out as a family. We both took a day off our busy schedules to be here, so lets not waste it."

"For god's sake Marian! Don't try to guilt trip our son anymore than he's already done himself! It's part of being a family. This is an obligation to our son."

"You're right. I'm sorry...Did you get the brochures?"

"Yeah. Right here."

Daniel's father set out a massive collection of 19 brochures for every kind of position in the Enclave Armed Forces and its various side branches. The Army Corps of Engineers, Chemical Corps, Mobile Infantry, you name it, there was a brochure for it. And Daniel had seen them all before.

"Dad...I can't join the army. I know you devoted your life to it, but the army just drains your brain. Everyone I knew from class enlisted the day after graduation, and now they all act like brainwashed idiots. You came out okay, but I don't think I will. How will it be any different from re-education?"

"Son. The army does not drain your brain. It gives the mind incredible focus and discipline. There has been a Wright in the armed forces since before the Great War. And if it were up to me I would let you break that tradition, but our nation is in peril! If we don't have every single American contributing to the cause, our nation WILL DIE!!!"

In a rare moment of weakness, Daniel's father started weeping. Daniel knew what was on his father's mind. The only thing that could bring him to tears was the thought of his old family in California. Lost with the oil rig.

It was thirty-two years ago that a young soldier by the name of Kyle Wright saw the bright flash of light from the ocean at his station in Navarro. In the following hours, he would suffer the loss of a mother, father, and his three brothers, Daniel, Louis, and Robert. The same three brothers he would name his only child after.

"Darling, are you okay?", asked Daniel's mother.

"Yes...Yes dear. Just the memories of an old man haunting him.", he said as he rubbed his eyes.

Daniel's father then got up and pushed all the brochures off the side of the table. Screaming as he punched the plexi-glass window.

"Mom! Do you want me to get the doctor?"

"No!!!!", screamed his father."I...Don't need to see the doctor.", he said in a much calmer voice.

"Do you want me to get your pills Kyle?", asked Daniel's mother.

"Later dear. I've made a decision. Daniel...You are twenty-six. You should have joined the army right out of school, but you didn't. I supported your decision because I love you, and because a part of me wanted you to avoid that life altogether."

"Dad I-"

"You ARE going to join the military, but I forbid you from joining any combat position. The Wright family has done enough killing and dieing for this country."

A smile came over Daniel's face at this news. Along with an incredible feeling of relief. Daniel wasn't exactly the soldier type.

Two Days Later...

The recruitment floor of Raven Rock was rather quiet today. This was typical though. Graduation day was really the only time things were busy down here. A whole new batch of sixteen year olds would be ready to fight. On a day like this though, you'd usually see maybe one or two little boys staring at the countless posters that lined the wall. Dreaming of the day they would get to crush a mutants head under their boot.

Daniel was taking a smoke and finishing his last beer outside the office of the Wasteland Reclamation Corps. Doing his best to enjoy his last moments as a civilian.