Rivet City. Everyone called it that, but in reality, it was a beached aircraft carrier. Ked could hardly believe it the first time he'd seen it towering in the river, a half crumbled building with a bridge connected to the monstrosity. The metal walkway always sank with his footsteps like it would buckle at any moment. The wastelands were the new mother of invention. Once inside, it was hard to argue with the 'City' part of it all. They had a science lab with a working hydroponics bay, a shopping area with enough trade variety, some old crazy running an American history museum, a clinic, bar and a hotel. Hell, they even had a church in case you were worried you were going to burn and needed to get some prayers in.
The walls of the shopping area creaked and dripped, not going to split open, but constantly glistening like a limestone cave. The wooden tables and chairs were starting to rot. Ked had found his niche at Gary's Galley, the local bar smack dab in the center of the shopping room. It was busy, many familiar resident faces and the few travelers were going all around the shops lining the room wall, grabbing everything from guns, to clothes, to trinkets, to food, to drugs and all the small things in between. It was a good day for comfort, he'd found a suit at Potomac Attire, well worth listening to that stuck up shop keep rave about his big plans for the city council. You could barely see the grime on it and the only blood stain was dark against the leg.
Rivet city was always a good stop and shop when he was in the area. When he was in the area being the main deal. The surrounding crumbles of DC were beyond dangerous and the waters were filled with Mirelurks. But after running into those Talon company goons, he'd needed a place to sell their guns. The machine gun spread hadn't left enough saleable fabric on them. If they hadn't been so restless and blood thirsty, Ked would have let them live. No one ever lives long enough to learn that lesson.
Someone bumped into him, nice and hard nearly knocking him from his chair. He tucked his hand into the suit, reaching for the blade nestled by his armpit. Then a pair of soft feminine hands steadied him and a beautiful face was inches from his, smiling and laughing.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
She was gorgeous, flowing brown hair barely matted to the mottled standard of the Wastes, long faded red dress hanging off her slender figure.
"Don't worry about it." Ked said, letting his hand drop back to the table.
"Well, I won't then, Mr. strong man."
She almost pranced away but Ked's hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist. He sat her down next to him at the table.
"I'm only going to say this once," He reached under the dress strap at her shoulder and moved his hand down near her breast, "Well done," He closed his fingers around the paper and yanked the prewar bills from her dress like a magic trick, "But you try and steal from me again, I'll fucking smack you."
The girl sighed and scrunched her face into a pout.
"Compliment accepted. So are you buying me a drink or what?"
"Maybe," Ked took another sip of stale beer, "Where'd you learn to pick pockets like that?"
"My daddy taught me!" She rested her head between her hands, fluttered her eye lashes, and then abruptly snapped out of it, "Sorry, bu. This is not how this conversation's going to go."
"Fair enough," Ked finished his beer, setting the empty bottle on the table, "Where are you heading?"
"Gross. Rapist question." She stuck her tongue out, "you got one more try before I walk away."
Ked stood up and pushed his chair in.
"Bye."
The woman was up in a hurry, tugging at his arm as he led her to the bar. No feeling of prying fingers this time.
"Oh, come on!" She whined, "Play the game a bit. You're the most interesting person here."
"You don't know anything about me."
"Exactly."
Ked considered this, then flagged the bartender down.
"Come on big guy. Next one's free. Ask anything."
Ked ordered some drinks and waited for the bartender to head off to pour them.
"Alright. What do you do for a living?"
The woman rolled her eyes.
"You saw. That's how we met, remember?"
"That's a hobby. Not a reliable means of feeding yourself."
There was a flicker in her eyes. Admiration was growing.
"Back to the table and I'll tell you."
Ked nodded and slid a drink over to her on the bar counter.
"I don't drink be-
The bottle began to tip over the counter edge but the woman's reflexes kicked in and she lunged to steady it, going off balance herself. Ked leaned in, steadying her at the smalls of her back.
"You alright?"
She stood back up to her full dignified height.
"I don't drink beer."
But Ked was already heading to the table.
"You do now. So what is it you do?"
She was having a hard time stabilizing her emotions as they sat down again. She was into him, but also wanted to kill him. It was rad.
"You know how it is these days. Odds and ends. Whatever anyone's willing to pay for."
Ked raised his eyebrows.
"Anything but that. Money doesn't unlock this kitty."
"Odds and ends. You know, it's funny," Ked reached into his pant pocket and placed a particularly nasty looking knife on the chair next to her, "How it's always murder."
She dropped all pretext and her eyes went wide.
"How did you?" She felt onto her leg garter and pulled the tiny metal weight from it. She set the rectangular lump of metal on the table and stared at him. It was the approximate weight of her knife, she hadn't felt the switch.
"Alright. Done playing. Who are you?" She hastily yanked the knife from the chair and tucked it beside her leg
Ked kept his silence as the woman went on.
"Seriously, I know you're playing it cool with my technique, but I'm not a good pickpocket. I'm amazing."
She retrieved a tiny bottle cap that shimmered gold and slapped it on the table.
"This? I jacked this straight out of Paradise Falls. Eulogy Jones was giving us a tour of his little slave racket. I nicked his good luck charm right out of his pocket. He didn't notice. You did. So who the hell are you?"
"Sorry, bue. That's not how this conversation is going to go."
They were eying each other now. Ked smiled. Trouble was brewing. Life had become a chore. He was dangerously bored.
"You particular with where you go?" He asked.
"No."
"You got contacts?"
"More than you, mystery man."
"Got a job on the go?"
She nodded.
"Feel like travelling together?" He hardly believed the words as they slipped out his mouth. His brain was most certainly trying to kill him. She'd probably kill him in his sleep, or chain him to the bed, leave him naked after gathering all his stuff. She could also rock his world like a woman hadn't in longer than he cared to admit. A thief of her expertise could prove a useful partner. She could be the most interesting thing that happened to him in a long time. Fair risk.
"Hell yes." She said with smile, "You hot?"
"Yeah, you too?"
She was definitely going to try to steal his stuff.
"You got a room up in here? I want to mark you up."
Still, worth the risk. Ked nodded and she was up, dragging him to the exit.
"One last thing," Ked said, they were halfway up the stairs to the next deck at the speed she was dragging him, "What's your name?"
"Tessa. Yours?"
"Ked."
