"Quit your squirming you pansy!"
Doc church poured a bit of home whiskey over the wound as a painkiller. Pegasus felt the pliers dig into his flesh, and he squeezed the rubber ball as to not cry out in pain.
"There, a very small piece of metal is now out of your skin." He put a piece of metal half an inch long in front of him. Pegasus groaned painfully, when he felt Church start stitching the wound close. "Wasting my time with such little shit as this."
"A wound like that can get infected and kill me." Said Pegasus, looking at the so called medical shed of Megaton. Most of doc Church's supplies were either alcohol, or material you use to not scream. Pegasus had chosen the rubber ball over a piece of leather that had several distinct bite marks.
"Well next time be nearly dying before coming in here and wasting my time." Church poured a glass of painkiller, and gulped it down. "Pay up, and get outta here."
He headed back to his house, finding Wadsworth dusting off the already spotless metal locker.
"Good Morning Sir! I trust the doctor treated you well?" Wadsworth greeted.
"Just fine, thank you." Pegasus said. "Though I'm a little worried about our funds now." After making it back, and paying off Jericho, buying some more ammo, for Clover's shotgun, and with the doctor bills, he was down to just over a hundred caps.
"Well it's a good thing you don't pay me sir! Otherwise I may have to find new employment!" Wadsworth joked.
"Well lover, if you need some caps, I can be a 'working' girl for ya?"
Clover came down from the second level. She wore the black leather outfit that the Family had graciously gave her for helping them. The outfit gave protection, while emphasizing her curves. Something that Pegasus was slightly peeved about, it hid her scars all too well. She still wore that collar around her neck, the only thing that he wished to take off her, but knew it was too risky to let her off on her own.
"We'll find another way to make some caps. Right now I need to change, and talk to Gob. Find out how to get to Galaxy News Radio." In truth he wanted to get out of Megaton, as soon as possible, he didn't want to tell Lucy West the bad news of her family.
Moriarty's Saloon was a lot quieter than usual, the static that usually came from the radio was off, and the few people that were there were drinking in silence. Hearing the sounds of bed springs and grunts, he figured Nova was working on a customer.
"Hey Gob I got some good news." Pegasus said, sitting at the front. "My dad made it to Three Dog!"
Gob didn't look up, he seemingly ignored him, and continued to shine away at an already clean glass.
"Gob, what's wrong?" Pegasus asked.
God didn't say anything, only glancing up meekly, before continuing to work the bar. An orgasmic scream came from above, not a minute later, Jericho came down still buckling up his pants.
"Your money is well spent Peg!" Jericho said, smiling at Pegasus. "With Moriarty's discount I got three instead of just one today!" Jericho stumbled his way out.
"What's he talking about?" Pegasus demanded from Gob.
"I shouldn't have helped you." Gob muttered.
Nova came down, and went to the corner booth by the bar, she glanced hatefully at Pegasus. to his shock one of her eyes was black and swollen shut and dark bruises covered her neck and chest.
"We got beaten pretty badly." Gob muttered. "Since I cheated Colin out of three-hundred caps, he's forcing Nova to give people a discount to seventy-five a client, and still charging us room and board."
"Why her, and not just you!?" Pegasus demanded.
Gob chuckled. "Who wants to spend a night with a ghoul?"
"Ah top of the morning to you lad!" The hatefully fake accent said from the storage room. "How's the family?"
Colin's cheerful smile faltered at Pegasus's glare. "Well I take it didn't go so well with your old man then? Couldn't find him, get a little lost?"
"Turn on the radio and find out. Gob." Pegasus gestured.
"Gob's not allowed to turn on the radio from now on. Been giving him too much freedom as is."
Pegasus reached over, and turned on the radio, static filled the air.
"Sounds like your old man is doing well for himself." Colin teased.
"Quite well actually. Got himself a radio interview with Three Dog himself."
"Well that's good. He made it there, and didn't die."
"Just like Silver. She's not dead yet, either."
"Ah Silver. I take it you've talked to her then? Couldn't get my money back from her, spend it all on drugs, the strung out whore." Colin turned to Nova. "You could pay me back if you'd stop wasting all your money on Jet yourself lassie."
"Actually she's used your money as a bit of a startup. Got herself quite the business over by the school, prepping ant meat for passing travelers. Quite good really. She said she ought to thank the stupid bastard for being so careless with his money, but figured that she took what was owed to her. Could've been a business partner with you, and started flowing in the caps."
Colin laughed. "I doubt that Silver could've done anything like that."
Pegasus dumped all of his caps on the table, 145, all that he had left. "A small payment for my help in bring her some ants by the school."
Pegasus saw his bluff worked, Colin eyed the caps longingly as he scooped them back up. "Where is she again? Close to the school?"
"Why the fuck should I tell you anything? Gob, here's ten caps just for being a good employee. Come see me when you get the chance. Silver can make you some real money."
"Pegasus stop mentioning her!" Gob rasped.
Colin came to and grabbed Pegasus by the collar. pulling him close, he could smell alcohol on his breath. "I think you're bullshitting me boy. I think you got that money elsewhere than her, I think you never found your father. I think he died without some paladin bitch protecting him. You never made it too far yourself, I think the school bandits scared you off, and you were to ashamed to show your face around her again."
Pegasus attempted to struggle free from Colin grasp. "Believe whatever you want, you drunken parasitical fuck. Just know you're never going to see another cap from her, or from me!"
Colin punched him in the stomach. He'd had harder hits from Butch, but needed it to look real. Gasping for breath, Colin threw him to the ground, and started kicking him wherever. It was wild, and only trying to cause pain, Pegasus moved his body so the blows wouldn't do anything more then leave him sore, and bruised, for a few days.
"Okay! You want to know where she is, right?!" Pegasus pleaded. "She's in an old house by the school!"
Colin grabbed him by the hair, and forced him to look in his eyes. "That's a good boy. Now once I get done with that bitch, you and I are gonna be square." Colin stole his pistol, and headed out.
Pegasus waited until he was sure Colin was heading off. Gob and Nova were both next to him, checking to see if he was okay. His springing up like the beating never happened was another shock to them.
"You're fine?" Nova asked.
"No, and I'm sorry for what happened to you." Pegasus didn't know how else to apologize to her except for what he was about to do. "Gob, how well do you know the traders that Colin deals with?"
"Pretty well. Colin usually has me deal with them-"
"That's all I needed to know." Pegasus said leaving.
"Thought you could hide from me you druggy bitch!" Colin shouted kicking down the door.
Hearing John Henry Eden give some stupid speech, Colin shot it with his stolen gun. The boy took good care of his gun, and it was in the best shape of a weapon he'd ever seen. Guess a benefit from living in the cubby hole. Though he saw the remains of a giant ant, the kitchen didn't look like no ant cooking business. Heading to the living room, Colin laughed at the mess of empty inhalers, and syringes that littered the floor, and poor Silver. She looked as through she'd lost thirty pounds since she stole from him, laying strung out in the recliner. She still had her curves though, and the gentle movement of her breast meant she was still alive, he may get one final use of her, before blowing her brains out.
Seeing her stir, her eyes wide opened in shock, the sight of him sobered her up quick. "Colin?" she said meekly.
He laughed. She didn't have the strength to even shout. "Aye lass!" He ripped her shirt as she fell. She tried to crawl away, but her strength gave out quickly. "Oh how I've missed that ass!"
"How did you find me?" she whimpered.
"How the hell could I not?! You didn't even hide that far away. The real question is, why it took me so long to find ya. Now Sliver you owe me, and I am going to collect with interest." He said, unbuckling his pants.
"No."
"Maybe you should've thought of that before you stole from me."
He smiled as she crawled her way to the kitchen. The lighting from the doorway cast a silhouette that Colin hadn't noticed, he saw the boy standing next to a blonde broad with a slave collar on, pointing a shotgun at him.
The sound damn near blew out his ears, the warm sensation in his belly made him think that he just drank a fifth of whiskey. Looking down he saw his intestines starting to spill out from the wound in his belly. He let out a gentle laugh, no way this boy from the Vault just killed him. He was just some Vault pansy looking for daddy. No way...
Moriarty's body twitched in death. "Thanks Clover." Pegasus said, handing back her shotgun.
"You always welcome to whatever you want lover." replied Clover.
Taking back his pistol, he found a key hanging around his neck, and ripped it off. Finding nothing else on him, he knelt next to Silver, who was shaking badly from fright.
"We going to kill her to?" Clover asked.
"No! Clover be quiet, please." She rolled her eyes, and leaned on the doorway, looking skeptically at them both.
"You told him where I was?" Silver asked.
"I needed him out of the town, so I could shoot him without getting into trouble with Simms. Wasteland justice rules out here, and that justice is the gun. Sorry I used you as bait."
"He's dead though?" She asked.
Pegasus nodded.
"Good." she drifted in and out of consciousness.
"Clover, help me get her back to Megaton."
They left Silver with doc Church, who was even more infuriated for having a second patient that day. Silver had more drugs in her then he'd ever seen: Psycho, Mentats, Jet, Church. Said it was amazing that she was still alive. So Pegasus found out what he could do, and with a hundred caps, gave Silver a full detox. Something that was going to take several hours, and be very painful.
Lover, you do realize we're broke now. Right?" Clover said, as they entered Moriarty's Saloon.
The saloon was completely empty. He guessed it was still too early for people to be getting piss drunk, or people thought to give this place a wide berth when Colin was angry.
That was something they wouldn't have to deal with anymore. "Gob, Nova I need to speak with you."
"I don't think Colin would like that very much." Gob said.
"Colins retiring, he wants you to take over the bar." Pegasus said sitting down.
"You killed him." She said agape.
Pegasus put the key he took on the counter. "This saloon, it's both of yours now. Sell it, or take his name down, and turn it into Nova's Rest, or Gob's Tavern. Megaton could benefit with the two of you staying though."
They both looked at each other, and back at Pegasus, as though their minds were still trying to process their reversal of fortunes.
"You're just giving us that key? That key goes to his safe. Where he keeps all the caps. You're not going to empty it for yourself?"
"That's a good idea! We should do that lover!" Clover agreed.
"Keep it." All three of them let out gasps of shock. "Just give me drinks on the house, and maybe give my friend a room to stay in."
"I live with you lover." Clover objected
"Alright, if anyone else comes, please give them a room."
Nova snatched up the key. "I need to see how much is there."
"And Nova, I want to see you privately." Pegasus said.
An upset look crossed her face. "I really want to get out of the business, but if that's what you want-"
"Why does every woman I meet think I want to get into their pants!" Pegasus complained. "I want to treat your wounds, I'm not exactly a doctor, but I do know enough of first aid to help with the worst of the bruises, and that eye of yours. Privacy is for patient confidentiality you know."
"No, I don't know." Nova smiled weakly at him, and headed up. Gob locked the front door, and followed.
Colin's room was larger, and had better amenities then the rest of the Saloon. Nova had already cracked open the safe, and seemed shock by all the caps that were in there. The entire bottom of the safe was packed with caps.
"Son of a bitch was sitting on a fortune, and made us work to the bone!" Nova snapped.
"Well it's yours now. I hope you spend it wisely." Pegasus said from behind.
"You're just letting them have all that?!" Clover demanded. "Eulogy would've shot both of them dead, and party for months on end with all those caps!"
"I'm not Eulogy."
"Yeah you're completely boring, and fucking stupid! You're so soft, it's a shock you didn't just melt when you first stepped into the Capital Wasteland!"
Gob looked between Pegasus and Clover. Wondering who was going to do what. "Pegasus, you mean we can just take all this for ourselves, and the bar too?"
"Well if Silver wants to come back, can you give her a position?"
"Absolutely." Gob smiled, he laughed a heartfelt laugh, rushing up to Pegasus and hugged him tightly. Pegasus did his best not to grimace at the smell or feel of his irradiated flesh. "I've been around for a long time, and I've never thought I'd ever meet anyone as kind as you."
"I'm amazed he's lasted this long." Clover muttered.
Gob gave him access to Colin's terminal, downloading all the information on his pip-boy, transferring it to his home terminal before putting on his armor and heading off. Gob had told him the quickest way to get to Galaxy News radio was to cross the bridge by Wilhelm's Wharf, and take the DuPont Metro rail close to the Anchorage Memorial, it would lead him the closest to the GNR station.
Clover never stopped complaining how they were walking all the way there, when they could've just paid someone else to go instead, and gotten pissed drunk, or partied the entire time with all those caps he had given away.
"Clover you should save your strength. Instead of complaining, why don't you be quiet and keep a look out for any raiders or attackers." Pegasus said, taking a small drink from his canteen. Wadsworth had managed to get a liter of clean water from his dehumidifiers, splitting that with Clovers (Mojo's old) flask, and his canteen. He filled the rest with filtered dirty water, if careful, they could have enough water to last them a few days. If Clover didn't waste it all parching her thirst from complaining.
Taking a drink from her flask. "Why did you just let them have it? And the hell did you help out that drugged up bimbo? Or those stupid settlers in Arefu, and the hell you doing helping out slaves? You know Eulogy's going to want your head now, right?"
"Just doing good Mojo." Pegasus said.
"The fuck is Mojo? Sounds like something Eulogy used to complain about."
Pegasus smiled, but hid it from her. He hoped that Wasteland Guardian had been a huge thorn in his side.
Sticking to the road, a piece of advice Simms gave him was to keep the Washington Monument in your sight as a reference point. He came across the largest body of water he'd ever seen, a river that seemed to be flowing its way all the way up to Arefu. Though as temping as it was to drink to his content, his pip-boy showed that the water was highly irradiated, and from its grayish green color, who knew how many heavy, or atomic, minerals were floating around in the river. Seeing an old shack that stood out of place among the ruins, and in the distance behind it bridges across the river, an old woman sat eating a plate of meat. She spotted them, and raised her hunting rifle towards them.
"I mean you no harm." Pegasus said, raising his hands.
She set the rifle down, but not out of hands reach. "Can never be too careful out here lad. Well rest your weary feet, and tell if old Grandma Sparkle can get you anything?"
"Is this Wilhelm's' Wharf?" Pegasus asked to make sure, Gob had said that madam Sparkle ran the place with her children.
"Well look no further youngins, you found it." Eyeing him. "Say, that's a nice Vault suit you're wearing. Couple of folks came by here, saying they were looking for some Vault do gooder."
Sounds like something Butch would say if the Vault was opened. "What did these people look like?"
"Oh they were carrying enough fire power to take down a super mutant, wearing dark armor, had a symbol on it that I can't quite remember. I told them I never seen a Vault dweller in nearly twenty years, and they went on their way. Well can't say I haven't seen one now!" She chuckled.
"Well we can't stay to eat. Does that bridge lead close to DuPont station?" He asked.
"Cross that, and pass the Anchorage Memorial." She said.
Saying thanks, they headed off. They stopped at the entrance of the bridge to stare in amazement at what lay before them, landmines. Not just some that they could've been avoided, or set off, the mines went all the way to the end. He counted at least two dozen of them. Most of them were packed in the middle, so if one went off, they all would, and take out the middle of the bridge.
There was another bridge within sight, down the road. However, it led into a bunch of ruins that looked difficult to work around. Looking back at the mines he wondered why anyone would want to have this bridge blocked off?
"Well now, if it isn't the little saint from the Vault." A sneering voice came from behind.
Three figures came from behind the ruins, they matched the description that Grandma Sparkle had given, they wore black combat armor that looked lighter than the one Lucas had let him borrow. Though more clean, and not worn with age, with a white Talon painted on the breast. Two of them carried Chinese assault rifles, while the third carried a laser rifle, something that he'd only seen in magazines.
"We've been looking for you." The mocking tone the Tunnel Snakes used before picking a fight. He wasn't sure he was going to win this one. Looking around, he only had the bridge, downhill, and the ruins past them for cover. They picked a good ambush spot.
"What do you want?" Pegasus asked. If they hadn't just shot him in the back, then they might be reasoned with.
"You've pissed off the wrong people Pegasus. Going around saving those from the destruction that they deserve. You get that?" The Talon asked another.
"Yeah, got it." The other hit a recorder's off button.
"Don't know why the fuck he wanted you to hear that, I thought your head would do, but extra caps!" He said, raising his rifle.
"Hey Boys! I see you're all just standing around!" Grandma Sparkle yelled out to them. "I got Mirelurk soup here waiting to be eaten!"
The Talons looked over to her for just a second, it was the only opportunity he had.
He rushed them, taking out his baton, smashing it across the face of one, and the knee of another, being so close they wouldn't fire without risk of hitting their allies.
He was wrong. One fired the laser rifle point-blank into his chest. The armor melted and burned his chest. Screaming in pain, he managed to shove his pistol under the Talons chin and pull the trigger, collapsing with the dead Talon.
Two shotguns blast rang out. Pegasus felt the warm spray of blood, and pieces of skull, hit his face as he ripped off the Vault armor, preventing it from cooling into his chest.
Getting to see the short, but grisly, battle, he had blown the back of one's head off, while Clover had taken two of theirs heads off at the jaw.
"You look nice lover." Clover admired his bare chest. "Though I think you could use a little special healing."
The bruises from the school had faded to a light purple, but now deep 2nd degree burn marks from his now useless armor added to it.
"I just need to take it easy for a few weeks." Pegasus said, picking up Wanda. Going over to the bodies, he started unstrapping their armor, and went through their pockets. With how crazy his first week out in the Wasteland had turned into, he doubted that was ever going to happen.
"Robbing the dead lover?" Clover mocked.
"They're not going to need it anymore." He answered, dragging the body towards the river, tossing it in. "Help me with the other two."
One of them had a holo-tape recorder, the sight of it brought joy through the pain. Now he had a way to play his dad's final recording. Possibly find out what the hell happened back down in the Vault. On the one with the laser rifle, who he guessed had been the leader, he unwrapped a piece of paper. Fresh paper, not something crumbly or yellow with age:
Find Pegasus and show how we treat people that fail to live up to Mr. Tenpenny's expectations. Record the final message and bring me his head, I want him to realize why he is dead for a bonus. Do not fail me. You know what will happen if you arouse my displeasure. -B
B. Who would be the one person that he'd pissed off so much to hire a hit on him?
"Burke." Saying the name out loud made it all clear. He'd tried to bribe him to blow up Megaton. Now the bounty for Megaton was placed on his head.
"Who the hells Burke?" Clover asked. "Another person you saved?"
"No. Someone I pissed off. I'll explain on the way back to Megaton."
Finding his dad fell back on his priorities. Right now he needed to find a way to get this price off his head.
