"Alright! Junders kept a stock! Haven't had a good buzz for several hours!"
Jericho had a wine bottle in each hand, they were found along with dead flowers to a picture of Abraham Lincoln like a shrine. Junders didn't seem to worship someone else, it must've been the previous occupants.
Junders had kept all his loot down here. Along with the wine there were boxes of caps, spare guns, along with parts and ammo, though only enough to fill each gun and a spare magazine. After the fight, they moved Junders body outside and started going through the place to rearm and rest.
"So are you with the Brotherhood Pegasus?" Sasha asked.
"No he's not with us. I sure as hell wish he'd join." Hoss said trying to open the case. "The young man got more talent and potential the all the recruits combined. You'd make it into the pride within weeks of joining."
Pek grumbled something surly insulting, Pegasus didn't care. He was too busy rolling the stem of a flower between his fingers. Lost in his thoughts of what this meant. The Wasteland wasn't the carcass of the previous world, though the world had been battered, it still continued, in a desolate wasteland in a graveyard of the dead even the flowers could bloom. What more, the flower reminded him of the promise he made to Amata.
He wondered how she was doing. In just over three weeks since he left, he'd done so many things he'd never thought he'd do. For whatever else the Overseers had been, he was starting to see why they never wanted to open the Vault in the first place. If Amata could see him now, know what he'd done and the dangers of the Capital Wasteland, would she still open the Vault?
No matter what's outside that door, we'll deal with it. They had promised. He felt in his heart that Amata would keep that promise, so he had to keep his. And if he was going to keep this one then he better start keeping the rest.
"Hoss what do you know of Three Dog and GNR?" Pegasus asked. He would find his dad, alive or dead, but he would find him.
"How does a local not know about the great and powerful Three Dog?" Mused Hoss. "The voice of truth in the wasteland. But if you're asking why his signal's total shit this side of the river it's because his radio dish got shot up to shit. It's too bad to because GNR is also one of our man bases for communication."
"You work with Three Dog? Then the Brotherhood knows about the comings and goings inside GNR?" Pegasus asked eagerly.
"You been living in a Vault or something Pegasus? Everyone knows that the Brotherhood of Steel supports the GNR!"
"Yeah it's a good recruitment for fools and bullet fodder." Clover snapped.
"We protect the Capital Wasteland an all its inhabitants form the super mutant menace! And help stop raiders and slavers from victimizing the local communities." Hoss angrily retorted.
"I've never seen the Brotherhood outside of the D.C ruins." Peter interrupted. "From what I've heard, you guys are locked up tight in the battle with the yellow bastards. We Regulators are the ones patrolling the outskirts of the city fighting the raiders and slavers."
"That may be true, but we do our best to keep the mutants in the D.C area." The knight countered.
"Well you're doing a piss poor job of it then!" Jericho shouted. "We're on the other side of the river and been fighting those freaks. Hell me and Peggy fought one way the fuck out of nowhere! so where were you regulating? I say both you fuckers suck at your jobs!"
"Do you have any idea how many mutants the brotherhood has killed over the years? If we weren't there to stop them, they would've overran the entire Wasteland by now!" Hoss countered.
"You have no idea how many people we've saved from slavery and death out there! And we don't have the luxury of power armor or robots!" Sasha protested.
"Yeah and know what I've seen my entire life? Nothing but death and failing groups of do gooders getting way over their heads and dying for it. Personally I say we all team up, and take whatever it is we need to get by another day! But you'll won't do that will you? Gotta do some bullshit like protecting the innocent or some other high ideal nonsense. When you gonna realize that the only thing that matters is living the moment before you die? Why you all wasting it, and why the fuck did I get dragged into your goody nonsense?!"
Jericho finished ranting by smashing the bottle of wine and downing it. spitting it back up gagging badly.
"From the smell of it, I say it's vinegar." Pegasus smiled. "Instead of living in the moment of getting piss drunk, why don't you plan five seconds ahead and read the label and make sure what you were drinking was still wine?"
"I won't deny that a lot of people have died over the years. The Brotherhood stretched thin as it is and there's dissent in our ranks." Hoss said. Violently tearing at the case.
"Not no dissent. You have a civil war going on and you best admit it." Clover pointed out. "The Outcasts separated from you, they've been calling themselves the true Brotherhood of Steel. Said that the original mission you bastards had was to gather lost tech in the D.C ruins and leave. Your leader got all soft and strayed from the course and you split. So you've never been interested in protecting the people, your split and all the dead bodies from Lyons stupidity just means you need more stupid people to do your dirty work. And once you have what it is you came for, you're going to leave, Brotherhood or Outcasts so why did you even bother helping?"
"I'm not an original member of the Brotherhood. I'm 38, but only been the brotherhood for the past eight of those years." Hoss whispered.
"I was actually born in the Brotherhood. And the wastelander outranks me." The knight added.
"Don't you go shitting on the Brotherhood! They save my life; I owe them it!" chimed Pek.
"What about you Pegasus? You share you're companions bleak outlook on the world?" Peter asked.
"They're my friends, not just companions." Pegasus corrected. "I can see what they mean, the Wasteland sucks! I can agree with them on that. You guys have been fighting and it looks like you're not gaining anything so what's the point?" He thought of Amata, the Overseers of the past, Moriarty and Lucas Simms former power balance, Moira's plan for her book and Crows dismissiveness of it. Tenpenny and Roy with their plans to subjugate and kill. His dad and whatever reasons he had to leave 101. "Everyone does what they think is right. But not everyone can be right, and when two people or groups can't decide which way is the right way. There's going to be conflict. Even raiders and slavers can somehow convince themselves that they are the good guys."
"So what? Whoever left standing in the end is right?" Clover mocked.
"No that just leaves the last person standing." Pegasus tried to figure out the proper words. "The right way, is the way that has the most people living. Does that make sense?"
Pegasus wished his conviction was as strong as his words. If he was correct, was the right way the Overseers' way? If the vault was never open, would anyone have died because of him and his dad?
"Well I prefer getting drunk so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a bottle of not vinegar." Jericho said.
"Ah ha!" Hoss hooted as the case finally opened. "The prize of the brotherhood is…a pistol?"
He held up a Chinese pistol, even with full power armor on, the disappointment shone on his face. "Well this was a total bust!"
"Can I see that?" Pegasus asked. Hoss tossed him the gun. Glad it wasn't loaded he checked it over. It looked much like the weapons in the Outcast vault, pristine, out of time. It was heavier than the other Chinese pistol he had, and the barrel was wider as well, it was made to hold 10mm rounds and not the 9mm standard. The handle had a red and black Chinese symbol imprinted on that he'd no idea what it meant.
"RL-3. Know what this means?" Pegasus asked.
"SIR THAT IS ZHU-RONG, THE SYMBOL FOR THE CHINESE GOD OF FIRE! HOPE HE BURNED THEM ALL FOR BEING COMMUNIST!" Rl-3 said.
"well he came fully stocked." Hoss pulled out a wooden stock, a scope and 10mm rounds. "dammit I was supposed to find something worthwhile, not some former big shots personal gun!"
"If you don't want it I'll take it." Pegasus said.
"We gotta come back with something." Pek said.
"Take the sentry bot," Pegasus offered. "I can't repair it and it's already used up a lot of its ammo."
"Really!? You'll just give us that?" the knight couldn't hide his excitement.
"It's a deal Pegasus!"
They had to travel through another metro station and even a sewer. It was slow going making way for the sentry bot. Other than some radroaches and giant blowflies in the sewers they didn't have too much trouble. They had to move slowly single file through some drainage areas because of the sentry bot, but in the end they exited to a setting sun across the dirty river with Wilhelm's Wharf within eyesight.
"Well this is where we all part ways." Hoss said looking into the dusk. "We need to get back to the Citadel. They'll going to be most interested in hearing about you Pegasus. If you're going to GNR, I'll try and let them know you're coming. Don't want you getting shot by accident."
"We need to get back to headquarters and let them know the bounty was a success." Sasha tossed Junders knuckles and caught them. "It was a pleasure meeting you in person Pegasus."
"Hoss. You said that Sawbones was a medical Gutsy, think you can get me the proper medical programming delivered to Megaton?"
"Can't make any promises, but I can try." Hoss Promised.
"If you're done saying your farewells, we're stopping by Granny Sparkles and getting some grub. I'm hungry!" Complained Jericho.
The three groups went their separate ways, Pegasus however went to go check the bridge, finding that all of the mines were gone. Heading back to find Grandma Sparkle giving drinks and taking Jericho and Clover orders like a waiter of old diners.
"Do you know what happened to the bridge?" He asked Sparkle.
"Oh my boys and several wastelanders went through and gathered the mines. Good for hunting mirelurks those things are! And I bet those two wastelanders got themselves a pretty penny for the price of those things." Explained Granny Sparkle.
"How long was that?"
"About several hours after you left hon. Now what would you like?"
Laughing at the irony of all the trouble he'd gone through, he ordered a bowl of soup and a slab of mirelurk for Dogmeat. Did he really think the rest of the Capital Wasteland was just going to sit still for him?
"Lover, why did you give up the sentry bot for this?" Clover asked looking at the pistol.
"If we're going to be going to GNR, and if D.C is a mutant stronghold, that thing would be nothing more than a giant target."
"I guess. Thought you were just being sentimental again." Clover said pulling out a loaded clip.
"Let me see those." Pegasus notice that the bullets were a lot different than any other 10mm round he'd seen. These ones were red with the tips pointed.
"So we're going to die on the road to GNR? Guess it's one way to go out." Jericho said taking a swig of beer. "Never thought I'd die like this. Oh well fuck it."
"Why the hell are you so bleak about everything? You were a raider and somehow you managed to live to be old. What the hell happened to you to make you so bitter?" Pegasus asked examining the bullets.
"What you wanna know my life story? Alright fine. You right, I was born a raider. Mommy and daddy were part of a group calling themselves the Bloody Mummers. Grew up raiding with them, until I saw moms get her head split open by a bullet, wastelander that didn't like what we're did to his kids. We beat the bastard to death for that. Not long after my daddy got killed in a knife fight with the boss when they was disagreeing. Bossman nearly killed me to, until another killed him and took charge. I was around twelve at that time."
"Jesus." And Pegasus thought his childhood was bad.
"Hey that's the life. The new boss always took a liking to me and took me under. We went raiding and pillaging across the wastes. Not just here in the Capital Wasteland, but far west as well. Even got to a place called New Reno. Man if I could have retired there I would've been in heaven! Whores on every street and the booze flowed like the river!"
"So how did you end up in Megaton if New Reno was so great?"
"We only stayed for a bit. No way we were ever pulling something in New Reno, the bosses there make Eulogy look like a pussy."
"Hey!" Clover angrily shouted.
"Just speaking the truth bitch. So we always targeted smaller settlement and tribe's taking what we wanted and moving on. And we just kept doing that for years on end."
"Sounds exciting." Pegasus mocked.
"It was for a bit." Jericho looked into his beer. "Finally the years went by, all my raiding buddies got themselves killed. I found that I had survived twelve different bosses and was in my forties, had become boss in all but name. What did I have to show for it? A bunch of tattered tents, not enough food to go around and a bunch of young assholes looking to shove a knife in my back. Day in day out was that."
"I thought you enjoyed living day to day? Sounds like you regret it?"
"I don't regret nothing! Jericho chugged his beer. "All raiders promise you glorious final days. Growing up I was fed the line of bullshit that just one raid, and we'd all be living big and not have to do anything else. We'd just get drunk and fuck till the sun exploded. Finally, I hit the age where I realized that it was all just bullshit! Found myself telling the new Mummers the same bullshit that was fed to me! So I left the life behind. Tried going legit for a while but that didn't work out too well. The pay was too piss poor to buy a whore. Ended up as a mercenary to whoever would pay me. Got paid well cause I didn't ask any questions. Got so good I was on a first name basis with Penelope Cruz, Junders Plunkett, and several other raider bosses. Guess what happened to them?"
"I did kill Junders. So I take it the same to the rest." Pegasus answered.
Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding! Correct! What did Peggy Win!" Jericho drunkenly shouted. "They all got fucking killed, and the new guys that replaced them, they didn't give a flying fuck about me. I came and went as I please but they didn't care. I don't care either, fuck'em! Had enough money to quit. Not luxuriously otherwise I'd be in Tenpenny tower, but enough to get a house in Megaton. And it was perfect for me. Got piss drunk, got my dick wet, and passed out in a bed and didn't have to worry about a knife in the back. And you had to go take all that away from me."
"I didn't take it away from you, you lost it when you acted like an idiot." Pegasus argued. "Besides, I'm not twisting your arm to be here. You can go whenever you want."
"where to asshole? Can't even go to Paradise or Felix because Eulogy put a price on my head. So fuck it, I'll just die out here somewhere."
A strange mix of pity, disgust, and understanding for Jericho filled Pegasus. Though sickened by how casual Jericho had made the raiders life sound, he understood the reason why he left. Pegasus knew the feeling of the days going by and having nothing to show for it. The fear that they were going to spend their entire lives in the Vault and die there was one of the main drives Amata and he had to open the Vault. He was glad that the thought came to him young instead as an old man like Jericho.
"Don't be like that hon! A little mirelurk will perk you up!" Granny sparkle put the plates of food down. Mirelurk cakes for Clover, and two bowls of soup for Jericho and Pegasus. Chunks of white meat mixed with liquid potatoes and salt. Taking a bite, Pegasus found it to be quite good. He would need to ask Sparkle for the recipe to give to Silver.
"so Lover after this we going to GNR?" Clover asked. She sighed in pleasure at the taste of the mirelurk cake. "This is really good. I haven't eaten anything like this in…forget it."
"alright I will. And no we're not." Pegasus answered. "After this we're going to Megaton. We need to get more ammo and our armor is nearly shot, hopefully Moira will be able to fix it. Also I need to ask Lucas if he'll break the rules to let me in late at night."
"You're going to go pick up that kid aren't you." Jericho said his mouth stuffed with soup.
Pegasus nodded. He hoped Bryan was still alive after how crazy those fire ants had gotten. He hoped that they had all died. The thought of the ants reminded him of the bullet and he started handling it again.
"Give me that." Clover snatched the bullet out of his hands and put it in the chamber. She tilted she gun to the side like she did with every other weapon and squeezed towards some nearby rubble.
The bullet hit a concrete and exploded like a mini grenade. They ducked as pieces of shrapnel flew from the explosion. The bullet had turned the concrete into dust and shattered the rebar.
"Well you did ask me for a better gun." Pegasus joked. "Want it?"
"You kidding? Hell yeah!" Clover said admiring the pistol.
"Hopefully Moira will also be able to make more of these." Pegasus handled another round. Something like this could probably stop a mutant in its tracks. He hoped the Brotherhood of Steel never found out what Hoss had passed up!
"Alright hons, that'll just be thirty caps for the meals." Grandma sparkle said. She was behind the counter her hands on her rifle.
It dawned on him that he'd forgotten to bring caps. "You take bullets?"