Chapter 10: Lead the Way

"I'm sorry, but did you just say you were looking for Vault 112?" a voice asked from behind me.

I turned around in my bar stool and was greeted by the sight of an older man standing before me. He had long brown hair along with a moustache and soul patch. He wore sunglasses over his eyes and donned a Merc Adventurer outfit. A silenced 10mm pistol hung from his belt, as well as a combat knife and a couple frag grenades.

"That's right." I replied.

"Well you're in luck kid because it just so happens that the location is known to yours truly." he told me.

I nearly fell out of my seat upon hearing this, "You're serious? You know how to get to Vault 112? Please, can you show me how to get there?" I begged.

The man laughed deeply, "Of course, for the right price that is." he replied.

I didn't care if I would have to pay this man a thousand caps. I just needed to find my father.

"Name your price." I said.

"Two hundred and fifty caps. Half up front, half when I get you to the Vault. Sounds about right, doesn't it?" he asked, and I nodded.

I handed him half of his payment and we headed outside. "Oh by the way, name's Kirk. I'm an adventurer by trade, but I do a bit of barterin' and fetchin' things for people on the side." he explained.

I shook his hand in friendship as we walked towards the town gate, "I'm Jason from Vault 101." I told him.

He lit up a cigar and laughed, "Yeah, I've hearda you kid. You're the reason GNR is broadcasting throughout the entire wasteland again. I hope you can live up to your name on this journey of ours."

The large metal gates shifted open at our front and we walked out in to the wastes. "I'll try not to. So how far is Vault 112 from here?" I questioned.

He took a quick puff of his cigar, "Bout three days walk. I've been there a few times before, not a bad place to get away from the troubles of the wastes."

He glanced over at me and raised his brow, "What business you got there friend, if you don't mind me askin."

"My father's there. I've been searching for him for a little over four weeks now and I finally know where he is." I explained.

The man laughed to himself once again and we continued our trek under the scorching sun. We made camp that night in a rundown gas station we stumbled upon. There were a few mole rats waiting for us within, but we made short work of them. We even found a few medical supplies as well as a few other useful items.

When morning rolled around we ate a light breakfast and set off once again. As we were walking through a particularly rocky area Kirk stopped and threw up his hand signaling for me to stop. He signaled to lay low and we crouched near some boulders.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"Radscorps." he replied.

We cautiously crept through the rocky outcropping, but stopped again when we heard the clicking of their legs against the hard rock.

"What exactly are Radscorpions?" I asked, although I think I already had a pretty good image in my head.

Kirk sneered, "You'll find out soon enough kid."

The incessant clicking continued as we picked up the pace once again. "Keep it up, I think we just need to head around this bend right here and we'll be home free." he told me. I wish he had been telling the truth.

I nearly fell on my ass when we spotted three of the biggest damn scorpions I'd ever seen roaming around just in front of us. They looked just like normal scorpions, but the radiation had caused them to grow about five or so feet in length and their exoskeletons were a dark green color.

I guess I wasn't too far off in guessing what they looked like after all.

They used their massive claws to rummage through the dirt for anything to eat. Luckily they hadn't noticed us yet, but they were sitting right in the middle of the only way out of the area.

"Good, they're just the smaller ones." Kirk said with a sigh of relief.

"The smaller ones? You mean to tell me these things can get bigger than this?" I asked in a low voice.

"You bet yer ass they do kid, and you'd better hope we don't come across one either." he replied and then cocked his silenced 10mm.

He popped a few shots off and killed one that had been straggling away from the group and managed to not alert the other two.

He pulled a frag grenade from his belt and pulled the pin, "Frag out!" he shouted, and then lobbed the grenade over the rock. A few scorpion parts flew past me after the grenade went off.

Kirk threw his arm up in a silent huzzah, but I knew our troubles weren't over when I heard a low hissing noise coming from our left. I looked over and noticed what was now the biggest scorpion I had ever seen. This Radscorpion was about three times the size of the ones Kirk had just eradicated and it didn't look too happy about it either.

Kirk barely jumped out of the way as the giant Radscorpion smashed one of its claws down on him. It tore a huge chunk out of the rock with a single blow. I sat there in shock, unable to move or react. I felt Kirk grab on to my shoulder and I snapped back to reality.

"I guess it was just wishful thinkin' when I hoped we wouldn't come across one of these things." he said.

The two of us sprinted out of the rocky outcropping with the giant Radscorpion right on our tails. We jumped away from each other as its barb tipped tail slammed down between us.

When I hit the ground I unloaded nearly a whole clip of 5.56 ammo in to the overgrown insect. That only seemed to infuriate it even more, and it gurgled loudly as it turned its full attention on me.

I scurried away when I saw both of its claws coming down on me. Dust and debris flew up in to the air as they made contact with the ground. I hurried to my feet and took aim once more. This time I managed to tear through its tail and sever it from its body.

Fluids bubbled and frothed from its gaping maw as it thrashed about the hillside. Kirk suddenly leapt on to its back and drew his combat knife from its sheath.

"Yee-haw!!" he shouted in a crazed state.

He used the knife to carve away the carapace atop its head and then drove it in to the soft tissue lying beneath. With one final gurgle the giant insect reared back and then fell lifeless on the ground.

Kirk climbed off of it and wiped the blood from his knife. "Hot damn, it's been some time since I wrestled with one of these creatures." he said. I could still hear the excitement in his voice.

I threw my assault rifle over my back and the approached Kirk as he searched on the ground for something.

"What exactly are you looking for?" I asked curiously.

"The tail." was all he said.

When he finally found it, he used his knife to cut the stinger away and then placed it in his pack.

"What's that for?"

"Radscorpion poison is very strong. I like to coat my knife in it, makes it easier taking down certain enemies. One of the tricks you learn from spending your whole life out here." he replied.

It wasn't until that point that I realized that this guy knew just what he was doing, and I felt a little more comfortable travelling alongside him.

"Well, no sense loitering around here anymore, let's get going kid." Kirk said and the two of us picked up our normal pace.

We met no more resistance for the rest of the day and made camp inside an empty cave imbedded within a sheer rock cliff. I felt a bit uncomfortable leaning up against the hard stone, but I soon grew used to it and managed to get a little shut eye.

"Wake up kid." Kirk said as he shook me from my slumber.

Morning already.

I sat up and stretched my arms out and then walked outside the cave entrance and cracked my back.

Kirk slammed a water bottle against my chest, "Drink up, I can tell it's gonna be extra hot today." he advised.

I downed all of the water as fast as I could and tossed the bottle to the ground. Only another day left until we reached Vault 112, and hopefully, my dad.

At about mid day Kirk eyed me and then cleared his throat, "So you told me that yer father set out for 112, and you said you were both from another Vault, 101. What exactly drove you from yer Vault in the first place, and what caused you to be separated from each other?" he pried.

It was a long story, but I figured we still had a ways to go so I would humor him. I then proceeded to tell him in exact detail what had transpired within the Vault, and everything that had happened since I started out on my quest to locate my father (with the exception of Madison and the stranger).

A good two hours had passed since I started my story, and when I finally finished with what I had been doing just before I returned to Megaton he just walked along in silence.

"Damn, you've sure been through a lot of shit since you stepped out in to the wastes haven't you? I admit kid, when I first started travelling with you I didn't think too much of you, but now, I gotta say you've earned a lot of respect from this old wastelander. Not just from your story either, but also how you handled yourself back when we fought them Radscorps." he told me before taking a swig of purified water.

I smiled to myself and didn't say anything in response. I must be doing good work out here to earn the respect of someone as experienced as Kirk.

"There it is!" Kirk shouted as he pointed to an old gas station mini-mart just on the horizon. The sun had just about set by this time and there were only a few rays shining over the horizon. How Kirk managed to spot the tiny building from that far off was beyond me.

Wait, what does he mean we're here? I thought I told him to show me the way to Vault 112, not some old mini-mart.

"Just what is this Kirk? I told you to take me to Vault 112, not a gas station out in the middle of nowhere!" I shouted in an irritated tone.

Kirk just laughed in response and the winked at me, "Don't worry kid, I haven't played ya. Just follow me inside and I'll show you where you need to go."

I was a bit ticked, but I figured he probably wasn't lying. We headed inside the mini-mart and promptly took care of the Radroaches inside. I still couldn't see how we had "arrived" at our destination.

My doubts were soon thrown aside however when Kirk threw a switch on the wall. A hidden panel on the floor suddenly slid open and revealed a long staircase heading down. We trekked down the stairs and my eyes went wide with excitement as I beheld the Vault door just feet in front of me.

"See kid, I told you I'd lead ya where ya needed to go!" Kirk said as he slapped me on the back.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and then handed him the rest of the caps I owed him. "Thanks Kirk, thanks a million." I said gratefully.

"You sure you don't need someone to accompany you inside?" he asked, but I simply shook my head and held my hand out, which he took happily.

"I hope you find what yer lookin' for kid. It's been a pleasure travelling with you." He said, and then turned around and walked back up the stairs.

Good luck I said in the back of my mind.

I collected myself, checked my ammo, and then pulled the switch on the panel to the left of the circular Vault door. With a few loud creaks, the door was pulled off its hinges and slowly rolled to the side.