CHAPTER 4: PICKING UP THE TRAIL
I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep. And even if I did, it wouldn't be for very long. So, after hours of thinking and bursts of ten minute doses, I brought my Pip-Boy up to my face and switched to the notes section. Once there, I began typing into the touch screen: "Revelation 21:6, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." It wasn't until I had read it out a few times that I realised I was getting progressively louder and, in doing so, had woken up Brogan who was lying in the bed beside me. She budged up close to me and gave me a hug, trying to comfort me as she could tell that I was deeply troubled.
"We'll find him, Callum. We came out here to meet your Father, and that's exactly what we'll do." She said reassuringly, believing that that was what was on my mind. God, mouthful! She was wrong. I mean, I had just killed someone for the first time, and no matter who it was or why I had done it, I had still taken a life. I mean, that's a lot to handle for someone who's never been in anything even close to a life of death situation. I mean, sure the Tunnel Snakes were constantly beating me up and genuinely pissing me off, but I was never in danger of losing my life from it.
I put on my best poker face before replying. "Well, let's start then, shall we?" I thought about making a quest in my Pip-Boy, that layed out objectives and places or people of interest, but it all seemed a bit too cheesy, so I just asked Brogan's opinion on what our next move should be.
"I reckon asking Moira would be a good place to start. She seems like the type that would know everyone's business, if you know what I mean. If your Father passed through here recently, she would know." She suggested, clearly having thought about it at some point. I nodded in agreement.
"Moira, do you mind if we ask you a couple of questions?"
"Well of course not. I'll give any help I can to my little research assistants." She exclaimed a little too happily, "What is it you need answered?" I shook my head in a comical attempt to rid my mind of her names for us.
"No." I said dismissively, "Anyway... just to let you know, there is a reason that we came out into the Wasteland other than for a holiday adventure." I explained with a sad smile to my friend.
"Oh, and what's that then?"
"Well... we're... eh... looking for someone... someone who came from our Vault."
"Oh, I'm sorry but I can't help you with that, because I've not met any new Vault Dwellers for... oh... about 18 years now, I think."
"Yeah. Well that's the person we're looking for."
"Oh, you mean the Lone Wanderer?" she cried, an extremely large smile brandishing across her face.
"The Lone who?"
"Well, that's what the radio DJ of Galaxy News Radio calls him. Only a few people know his name and I am, sadly, not one of them. But anyway, I don't know how to tell you this..." She trailed off. I stared, mouth slightly agape, fearing the worst. "But... emm... no one has seen him in years, I'm sorry." I felt all the blood leave my face as my excitement all left in one big flourish. Moira noticed this, and instantly attempted to get me to spring back with some encouraging words, "But, we don't have to assume the worst! I mean, he could have just moved to live in New Vegas or something.
"Moved... to live... in Vegas? Really? You realise how far away that is, right?"
"Well I don't know, I suppose he had saved the people of this Wasteland so many times he might have thought that there was another place in need of his help." She suggested, her attempt to make me feel better actually appealing to my sense of humour.
"Saved the people?" Brogs asked for me.
"Well, he saved all of the people of Megaton once from the big atomic bomb in the town centre by disarming it. Emm... he fixed the Galaxy News broadcast relay. Then he freed all those slaves in the Pitt and Paradise Falls by buying their freedom with basically every bit of money and tech that he had. Well, I suppose the Pitt wasn't the Capital Wasteland, but still was still nice, nonetheless. Freed Gob the bartender here at Megaton from his near enough slave life. And then brought everyone in the Wasteland clean water that fills the tidal basin, now un-irradiated. After that, he and his new Brotherhood of Steel Army friends then took down the Enclave. The only downside of his amazing work was the extinction of those poor Mirelurks from the purified water. Must've needed the radiation to survive." I stared at her, completely confused from her ramlings and she added, "Oh... the Enclave are... were..." She corrected herself, "The bad guys and the Brotherhood are the good guys. And Mirelurks are big crab-like men." Moira explained, as if it made me understand more. "Um... the last I heard of the Lone Wanderer, he had went off to destroy Vault 87. Here I'll point it out to you on your Pip-Boy." I put a new marker on the screen at the far west of the map on the screen where Moira showed me. "Oh and before you go, ask around for more information on where he last was, though, because remember that my information is around 17 or 18 years old. Talk to Mayor Simms, he might know more."
I had had enough of Moira for just now and made to leave her shop. As I opened the door, I heard her mutter to a tall, unemotional man that seemed to stand guard for her or something.
"The Lone Wanderer... now that's someone I've not heard from or spoken about for a long time."
The door closed behind us with a creak and my head began to hurt as I tried to compile all of the information she gave us.
"What does she mean by 'he went off to destroy Vault 87'?" I complained, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration.
"I don't know but this place certainly sounds weird doesn't it though? I mean, 'crab-like men'? What is that about?"
"Well I guess we'll find out soon enough? Hmm... I wonder if that radio station she spoke about still talks about him?" I thought aloud.
In the radio section of my Pip-Boy, a small list of stations came up and I tuned in to the 'GNR' that Moira Brown spoke of, only to find that we were being talked about!
"Listen up Wasteland, it is I, Three Dog, your friendly neighbourhood disc jockey! What's a disc? Hell if I know, but I'm gonna keep talkin' anyway! Now, it's time for the news. All you old 'yins remember the Lone Wanderer right? Guy that came from Vault 101 a good while back? No, no, not him! You know, the one that kinda saved the world and all that? Well, guess what, kiddies? I've got a brand new special report that a couple of new Lone Wanderers have climbed out of that rusty blast door. Hmm, couple of Lone Wanderers? That doesn't really make sense. How about, couple of New Wanderers? Man, the revolution begins again, kiddies. Anyway, back on with the music..."
"That was certainly interesting." I remarked, trying to overlook the fact that we were radio celebrities for a few seconds. I shared a grimace with the other New Wanderer and turned off the radio.
"I'm surprised he managed to get his information that quickly... Hey, look!" She pointed down to the left and my eyes followed, "There's Sheriff Simms, he'll know where we can find his Father is so we can ask him about yours. The Mayor will probably know more about the wasteland than anyone else in the town." As we navigated down to the bottom of the crater (I say navigated because we had to go down a small cliff) that was Megaton, we passed an old man with a large Chinese Assault Rifle on his back. He turned to us with a disgusted look on his face.
"Aww, it's the little love-bird kiddies from the vault!" he goaded before turning to Brogan, "Hey sexy, I'm Jericho, how about you come on back to my shack and I'll satisfy you like a real man?" He smiled, narrowing his eyes at me. I clenched my jaw in anger at his pathetic attack at us.
"Save your breath old man, 'cause you'll need it to blow up your date later!" She backfired with, which left a silenced and very angry Jericho behind. As we neared Simms I turned to my friend.
"Why do I think I've heard that before?" I pointed out.
"I don't know." She replied dismissively.
"You got that from a movie holotape didn't you? I can't remember which one, though." I accused, pointing at her.
"Yeah, but he doesn't know that!" She replied with a smirk.
"Ah touché... Sheriff!" I exclaimed and he turned to face us, "Do you know where the Mayor is? We need to ask him something."
"Yeah sure kids, he'll probably be up in the saloon." He gestured behind us up to the south side of Megaton. We climbed up the route the Sheriff pointed out for us until we came to a place called Gob's saloon. As the door was opened, it was like walking into a wall of... well... smell!
It was almost unbearable: a mixture of liquor, over-used females and sweat had combined together to form a sickly, damp stench. I could see a man sitting in the corner on a lounge chair with a Sheriff badge that had 'mayor' written on it. So, we warily went over to him and asked if he was Lucas Simms, to which he agreed.
"Well, I wonder if you can help me. I'm looking for my... I'm looking for the Lone Wanderer." I inquired, not sure if divulging my identity was a good idea.
"I'll be damned, I've been spoken to or spoken about him in a good, long time now. Anyway, there's no easy way to say this, but... the last anyone heard of of the Wanderer, he was clearing out Vault 87 of Super Mutants. I'm telling you son, others may sugar coat it for you but I can't. No one, even him, could walk outta there. I'm sorry, he was a good man." He said, with attempted solace.
"I refuse to accept that." I dismissed him, "So, I'm going to Vault 87 to find out if he died not. Sounds like a plan!"
"No way, son, you're just a kid! The wasteland ain't fit for anyone to live in, let alone a young 'in. But, I know that whatever I say ain't gonna change your mind 'cause I can see that look in your eye. The same one that the Lone Wanderer and his Father had! The one a strong willed man gets when he has a purpose. Oh and... wait a minute... I thought I recognised you!" The elderly man chuckled, taking off his hat, showing a small afro of curly greying hair, "Here's something that will help you in your trip." He held out a large bag that jingled when he gave it to me, "That's two hundred bottle caps! Let's call it... insurance for the pair of you. If you do have to go out there, get a few guns for yourself first. And if you actually do manage to get to Vault 87, you can't go in the normal way. There's too much radiation for us humans to get in that entrance, so I suggest that you see if you can gain passage through Lamplight Caverns to the south. He showed us it on my Pip-Boy map. That'll get you in, but son and girlie, please don't attempt the trip; it would be bad for the Lone Wanderer's memory if his s- a couple of people died looking for him, know what I mean? Oh and one last thing - because I know you're going to go anyway no matter what I say - if you get to Lamplight, do not say that you are sixteen or over, that'll get you kicked out before you even get in, violently so as well."
"Why not?" I said for the pair of us.
"The whole place is a city for young 'uns like yourselves, maybe a bit younger. They don't let any grown up in at all. And one more thing. If you do manage to catch up with the old dog, tell him Simms says 'I still sleep better at night', he'll know what you mean. It's just something I used to say."
"I will do. Well thank you sir, we will need all the help we can get, I'm sure." I said, gratefully accepting the bag. But, inside, feeling completely dead. My Dad can't be dead... no... I refuse to accept it, at least, not until I'm one hundred percent sure. Deep in thought, I walked away from the Mayor and stared down at the floor. Just as I was about to leave the saloon, a hand was placed on my shoulder. I took no notice of the hand, believing it to be Brogan's, until a rough, guttural voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Hey, smoothskin, are you okay? You need anything?" It said hoarsely. I spun around, wondering who the voice came from.
"Gah! Fuck!" I gasped, "What are you?" I stumbled backwards and pressed my back against the metal door, staring at his ruined face in terror. Brogan sank in to the wall beside me and grabbed my hand, in just as much horror as me. The 'man', I believed it to be, had very little skin and hair, and a complete lack of facial features. How is he even alive... unless? Zombie!?
"What?" He raised his forhead (due to having no eyebrows to raise) and let go of me, not looking offended at all. I pulled my hand from Brogs' grasp and latched on to my friend's arm, noticing that she was even more scared than I was, "You never seen a ghoul before?" He then glanced at her's and my Pip-Boys and vault zippers before realising why, "Oh, you're from the vault. Haven't seen any of you since... Gav- him..." He obviously was about to say my Father's name. But the way he said 'him' and trailed of afterwards showed that he must've not just liked him as a friend! They really must have been best friends!
"No, what's a ghoul?" I asked, still rooted to the spot.
"Some poor souls in the wasteland get exposed to too much radiation but don't have the good fortune to die. After that, slowly, our skin and parts of our face start to rot and fall off until eventually you look like me."
"It's not that bad actually, I mean, it looks kinda cool." I lied, attempting to apologise for my reaction before.
"Yeah, I know you're just trying to be nice, but that makes me feel better, nonetheless. I'm used to every asshole smoothskin giving me shit just because I look like a corpse. For that, if you ever need a drink or anything else just come to me and I'll sell to you for a discount." he said. My heart skipped a beat, I mean, in the vault you had to ask some random resident you didn't know to get you booze or someone's older brother or sister. You were royally fucked if you got caught, mind you, but now this man was offering me, not just drinks, but at a lower price as well. I assume he means alcoholic drinks. I knew that under any circumstances, I would've jumped at this chance to get a drink, but I realised that it would probably be really dangerous and reckless, considering the environment we were in.
"Well, thanks a lot, but we're okay on that front for just now. Unless, do you have any water at all? We're both pretty thirsty." I looked to Brogan and she nodded in agreement.
"How do you like it, dirty or purified?" The man asked, disappearing behind the bar counter.
"Eh... Pur...ified, please?" I met eyes with my friend's again, with an incredulous look on my face, believing that he was joking with us. He rose from behind the counter looking serious, so he must not have been joking.
"Here you go," He handed me two bottles labled 'Aqua Pura', "Name's Gob, by the way."
"I'm Callum, and my silent companion is Brogan." The latter handed me the large wad of notes we took from the vault when I remembered the caps that the Sheriff gave us.
"Oh, don't let some of the folks around here see you wave that big bag of caps around."
"How much is that then, in, ahh... caps... is it?"
"Usually twelve caps but none this time, just because you were nice to me. But it you want, I can give you some real money for that pre-war stuff."
"Oh?" Brogan looked up, bemused.
"Yes, I collect it you see. Now how much have you got?"
"$800."
"How does 400 caps sound for that then?"
"Yeah that sounds fine, nothing to compare it to, mind you." I laughed. We waved goodbye to Gob after we made our deal, and were finally able to breath fresh air. We meandered around the town, along the walkways and platforms, until we reached a quiet cliff on the edge of town where we sat down on the dusty ground.
"You know, I'm surprised you didn't take up Gob on his offer for drink. Usually you would go nuts at any chance to get drunk!" Brogan teased, massaging my shoulders in an attempt to annoy me.
"Shaddup!"
"Wow, do you know how long we slept in Moira's for?" She exclaimed, looking at her Pip-Boy. Yeah, right, slept. I made to look at my own when she covered my eyes, "No, no, guess the time." She smiled. I wasn't really in the mood for games but I played along with it.
"Half twelve in the morning?"
"It's not even fully dark yet, obviously not! Make a real guess."
"Ehh, like five or six?"
"Half eight!"
"Oh well it's almost your bed time!" I teased, pushing her hand away from my eyes and tickling her palm.
"Well you're one to talk, you're Mom made you be back in your quarters by ten! Even on the weekends!"
"Yeah, well what about that time when-" Our arguing was cut off when Moira shouted out to us.
"Hey, you guys!" Moira Brown called as she came round from the front of Craterside Supply, stumbling on the steep, rocky cliff. The cliff we were positioned on was just behind her shop, "If you're going to stay out late then take a key for the shop. You can sleep in there anytime you want, my little research assistants. Oh, and if you ever get hurt again, you know where to find me." She said cheerfully as she handed Brogan the key before scuttling off again.
"Didn't realise we had a place to stay." I whispered, meeting an equally confused gaze from my friend.
"Did you notice that it sounded as if she wanted us to get hurt again so she could take notes for that damned book?" She laughed and I joined in.
"Thanks Moira, we owe you one!" I shouted after her as she turned back round to the front of her shop again.
"I thought it would be completely dark at this sort of time in the outside. I mean it was dark when I left the vault." My friend remarked, taking a drink from her water.
"Well, it was like three in the morning before. Anyway it's only dark at this time when it's not... umm... what 'sit called, sum... sum-somthing. It's June and that's a sum-something month, I think." I said, completely unsure. I mean, it wasn't something that was taught in school due to it not being very relevant to vault life.
"You mean summer, idiot! How can you not know the names of the seasons?"
"Well it's not something that really pertains to vault life! It's not like they teach us in the school, is it?"
"Ooft, listen to you! 'Pertains'!" She scoffed as I finished off the last of my bottle and eyed hers greedily, "Away and chase yourself, blondie! You're not getting my water."
"Well I actually prefer, Callum, Calza, Cee dot Aldo, Calcium or Gayboy."
"Yeah, the latter one suits you very well, doesn't it?"
"No."
It was like being back at home. Two teenagers, best friends and not a care in the world. Minutes turned into hours, and all we spoke of was the 'old times' in the Vault. As if the short time being out in the Wasteland had started a new chapter in our lives. Almost as if we knew, deep down, that we probably never would return to the place we had always called home.
Eventually, we decided to go back into Moira's to sleep. Even the good few hours of rest we had earlier on in the day hadn't fully recharged our batteries as we were shattered.
"Callum, I'm starving. I've had nothing to eat since dinner the night we left the Vault."
"I know, Gogo, me too. We'll just have to wait until morning."
Moira had set up a large matress on the floor in the back room of her shop, underneath the stairs. It was complete with pillows and a duvet. Two bottles of water sat at the foot of the bed. Christ, she's thought of everything!
"I better go and lock the door." I whispered into my friend's ear as she lay down. I pickpocketed the key from her vault zipper. A minute later, I joined her and she had only just realised my sneaking ability.
"Did you take that key from me just there when you grabbed me to whisper in my ear?" She hissed in the darkness.
"I might have." I giggled and fell straight asleep, with only the sounds of our own rumbling stomachs to disturb us.
Thanks to all you guys who have followed and favourited my fic, nice to know that folk actually give a damn what's put on this amazing site haha. And big special thanks to Badger2430 for reviewing as well.