"Here goes nothing," Jason said.
He waltzed down toward the city. Just before reaching the robot, he spotted a man sitting off to the side. The man wore torn, dirty rags, and he was a complete mess.
The man called out to Jason, "Please! I need water! Do you have any water?"
Jason walked over to the man. He suppressed the urge to gag. The man was putrid.
"Will any water do?" Jason asked the man. He had taken some bottles of water from the school, but his pip-boy registered them as being slightly irradiated as was the case with nuka-cola, and pretty much every bit of food that he found.
"I need purified water," the man said. "I've tried drinking that irradiated crap, but I just throw it back up now. Please, do you have any clean water?"
"I'm sorry," Jason said. "I've only got dirty water. I wish I could help."
"If you find any purified water, please bring it to me," the man said. "I'll… I'll be here."
Not knowing what else to say, Jason walked over to the protectron.
"Greetings, traveler!" it said in a cheery, albeit robotic voice. "I am Deputy Weld. What is your business here in Megaton?"
"I'm looking for a man named Moriarty," Jason said.
"Ah, looking to quench your thirst?" the robot said. "Very well, I shall alert Sheriff Simms of your arrival, and you can go right in! Just don't cause any trouble, young sir!"
"Thanks," Jason said.
The gate that Deputy Weld stood in front of began moving. It groaned and screeched but not nearly as bad as the vault door had. The two halves of the gate slid diagonally up and away from each other, revealing a set of double doors. Jason walked over to the doors and ventured inside.
Shortly thereafter, a tall, bearded Black man wearing leather clothes and a cowboy hat walked up to Jason. He had a pistol holstered at his side, and a gold star pinned to his vest. An assault rifle was hung over his back. Based on Jason's history lessons, he supposed it was probably a Chinese model.
"Hello there," the man said. "Name's Lucas Simms, town sheriff. And mayor too, when the need arises. Who might you be?"
"Hello," Jason said. "My name is Jason."
Jason figured this was probably a good chance to get leads on both Moriarty and his father.
"What might your business in Megaton be, Jason?" Simms asked.
"I'm looking for my father, a middle-aged man who may have come through here."
"I can't remember every traveler who wanders through Megaton, kid," Simms said. "Just so long as they don't cause any trouble, I leave them well enough alone."
"Okay," Jason said, a little frustrated, "can you give me directions around town?"
"Sure," Simms said.
Simms pointed him in the direction of Doc Church's clinic, Moira's Craterside Supply, and Moriarty's Saloon. Bingo. After finishing their conversation, Sheriff Simms stepped out of Jason's way. That is when he saw it. Down the hill, in the crater that Megaton was built around, was a massive atomic bomb sitting in a pool of water. Standing in the pool of water, an old man was screaming pseudo-religious nonsense at the top of his lungs about the "glow of Atom."
Jason turned back to Simms, mouth agape. "There's a bomb…" he said. "There's a bomb in the middle of town…"
"Yep," Simms said. "The town was built around it. It was never technically disarmed, but it also never exploded either. Those nuts in the Church of Atom even worship the thing."
"Maybe… I could disarm it for you?" Jason said. What was he thinking? What did he know about disarming atomic bombs? Stupid need to fix everything…
"Really?" Simms's mouth was now the one agape. "You think you can disarm it? I'd rest easier knowing even the chance of it going off was gone. I'd even be willing to pay you 100 caps as a reward."
"I don't need a reward," Jason said. "I just wouldn't be able to sleep knowing it could go off and kill all these people."
"It's a deal then," Simms said. "Just… take a look at it before you do anything. Don't rush it. Be careful!"
"I will," Jason said. "Have a great day!"
"Hey, you too!" Simms smiled. "Oh, by the way, I do seem to remember a man coming through town. He went to talk to Moriarty."
"So, all signs point to Moriarty," Jason thought.
He walked down to the atom bomb. He opened a panel on the side of the bomb and looked around at the mechanisms inside. It looked a little too complicated to tackle right at this moment. Jason decided to mull over it for a while before making any attempts. The man in the small pool of water wrapped up his so-called sermon and walked over to Jason.
"Greetings, young man," he said. "I am Confessor Cromwell of the Church of Atom. Are you here to bask in Atom's glow?"
"Um…" Jason said. "No. I'm just curious about the bomb."
"Ah, yes," Cromwell said. "The divine symbol of Atom. At any moment Atom could decide to take us up into the glow. Isn't it glorious?"
"Uh, sure," Jason said. "I have to go now. I'm… very busy… Have a nice day."
"Farewell, young man," Cromwell said before going back to his place in the pool.
Jason headed up a ramp toward Moriarty's saloon. On the inside, he saw an odd looking man banging on the radio, trying to get it to work. The man's skin looked as though it were peeling off. He also had barely any hair. Jason took a step toward the man to ask about Moriarty.
Before he could, however, another man in a chair in a corner of the room called him over. That man looked excessively creepy. He wore a white pinstriped suit with a green tie, a fedora, and sunglasses. His skin was strangely pale, and his face was almost too symmetrical. Jason's spine shivered just looking at him.
"Greetings dear sir," he said in a deep, sinister voice. "My name is Mister Burke. You might be just the person I've been looking for."
"How so?" Jason asked, suddenly alert.
"I can tell from your clothes," Burke gestured at Jason's Vault 101 jumpsuit, "that you are not from Megaton. You have no ties or loyalties here. This place doesn't matter to you. So, you are perfect for the job I'm trying to accomplish."
"What sort of job?" Jason was becoming more and more guarded by the second. Whoever this guy was, they were not going to be friends.
"Let's just say that my employer and I want Megaton… to disappear," Burke said. "It's a blight on the Capital Wasteland. That bomb, if properly… motivated… can accomplish such a feat."
Jason had to quickly stifle the horror that almost registered on his face. "And… just how do I fit into this plan of yours?" Jason asked. He needed to make sure he knew the details of this man's plan before doing anything rash.
"Ah, so you're interested?" Burke said. "Good! You simply attach this fusion pulse charge in the bomb. Then, report to me and I'll tell you where to go so that we can watch the fireworks show. I'll be glad to pay you 500 caps."
"Interesting," Jason said. "I'll… be sure to get back to you on that as soon as I can. I… have some business to take care of in Megaton before it's gone."
"Fair enough," Burke said. "Well, I'll be here. You know where to find me when you're ready."
Jason made a mental note to visit Sheriff Simms before too long. He walked over to the bar.
"Hello, my good man," he said to the strange looking man. He figured the man did not receive much love or kindness.
"Wait," the man said in a raspy, gravelly voice. "You're not going to hit me? Yell at me? Not even berate me a little bit?"
"I hadn't planned on it," Jason said. He knew it. At least he could be better than the other people who had mistreated him. "What's your name?"
"The name's Gob," Gob said. "I'm surprised. I'm used to every smoothskin in this town berating me because I look like a corpse."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Jason said. "I'm new to the wasteland. Is it alright if I ask what caused your appearance?"
"New to the…" Gob started. "Oh… you're wearing one of those vault jumpsuits. I'm a Ghoul. Ghouls are people that got a big dose of radiation, and instead of dying we mutated. Our skin and hair fell off, but we live longer than smoothskins and radiation doesn't hurt us anymore."
"Thank you," Jason said. "So, I'm looking for the man who owns this saloon. Moriarty? I think he knows something about my father."
"Moriarty doesn't really like for me to talk about his business," Gob said.
"Please, Gob," Jason said. "I've got to find my dad!"
"I'd get in big trouble if Moriarty found out about this, but alright," Gob said. "He has a terminal in the back room. He keeps all his information about people there."
"Thanks, Gob," Jason said.
"You're welcome," Gob said. "Listen, since you've been so nice to me and all, I'll give you a discount when you're buying drinks. Moriarty'd have my head if he caught me, but for you, I'll risk it."
"I appreciate that, Gob," Jason said. "Have a great day!"
Gob scoffed. "I'll try, but this place sucks."
Jason turned back around. "If it sucks, why don't you leave?" he asked.
"Because I owe a massive debt to Moriarty," Gob said. "He bought me off a group of slavers, and he's making me pay him back by working here. Of course, he charges me room and board too."
Jason clenched his fists until they turned white.
Gob continued talking. "I'm from a place in DC called Underworld. It's a small Ghoul settlement in the Museum of History. If you ever happen to be over there, find Carol and tell her I said 'hi.'"
"Sure, Gob," Jason said. "I'll do that."
Silver… Gob… There were so many people in the wasteland that Jason longed to help. The trouble was, he just didn't know how to do it.
"Hello, stranger," a beautiful caucasian woman said. She had short, wavy red hair. "I'm Nova. New to Megaton, huh? Do yourself a favor, and keep walking."
"I can't do that just yet," Jason said. "I'm looking for my father. Middle-aged man. Have you seen him?"
"Yeah," Nova said. "He was here, talking to Moriarty."
"Do you know anything about where he went?" Jason asked.
"Moriarty would not be happy if I told you about his private business," she said. "However, if you're feeling lonely, I can keep you company for a while."
"Look sweetie," Jason said, smiling, "I'd love to spend time with you, but I need to find my dad."
Nova giggled. "Aren't you the charmer," she said as she playfully shoved his shoulder. "Alright, you didn't hear this from me. I don't know what they were talking about, but Moriarty keeps records of all his dealings on a terminal in his room. Don't let him catch you there, though."
Jason could not believe it. One of his stupid flirting lines… worked? Then again, Amata said that she had only been shooting him down for so many years because she knew her father would not approve of them being together. And yet… he didn't learn anything besides what Gob had already told him. Oh well.
"Thank you, Nova," Jason said. "I'll see you later."
"See you later, sweetie," Nova said.
Just then, an Irish man in his fifties came out of the back room and started scolding Gob for something. Jason approached him.
"Are you Moriarty?" Jason asked.
"The one and only," Moriarty said. "Colin Moriarty at your service. What can I do for you?"
"I'm looking for my dad," Jason said. "Middle-aged man. Have you seen him?"
"Oh my!" Moriarty said. "I should'a noticed! You're James's boy aren't ya? Ya got that vault suit on and everything!"
Jason made a mental note to find new clothes. Everybody commenting on his clothes was getting annoying.
"I remember that time, so many years ago. Your dad brought you here as a wee babe before he took you to the vault."
Jason's mind reeled. So, he hadn't been born in the vault. This was the last straw. His whole life was a lie clear until his father abandoned him in the vault without saying a word.
"So, he came through here?" Jason asked. "Do you know where he went?"
"Yes, he came through here," Moriarty said. "Yes, I know where he went. Trouble is, information, like anything else, is a commodity. Meaning, it's going to cost you. 100 caps."
"Oh," Jason said, his face falling. I don't have 100 caps."
"I'm sorry," Moriarty said. "I can't help you then. It's nothing personal, just business. Good luck, lad."
"One more thing," Jason said. "I ran into Silver."
"Silver, eh?" Moriarty turned back to Jason. "Where is she? She owes me money. Ran off with a bunch of my money."
"She's dead," Jason said. "She thought I was working for you, so she attacked me. I took her out."
Moriarty sighed. "Ah, Silver always was a blamed fool. At least that's off my mind now. Now, go get my caps so I can help you out with your dad."
Jason left the saloon. He rubbed his face in frustration. At least Silver was safe from Moriarty now. That still didn't solve her psycho addiction. She did not want to be saved though. He groaned. Gob was a slave, and it really seemed like Nova was in a difficult situation with Moriarty as well. All of these problems could be solved if Moriarty just disappeared, but Jason knew he should not kill him. Moriarty might have been a bad person, but it was nothing like the raiders' reckless carnage.
"It seems like everybody in this wasteland is out for themselves or their own survival," Jason pondered aloud. "Is there anyone who is just… good? Isn't there anyone who destroys evil and saves people simply for the sake of doing the right thing? I've only been in the Capital Wasteland for two days, and I'm already disgusted by what I've found. This is it. From now on, I'm not going to so much as steal a BB. I have to believe that somebody can be good. I have to believe that I can be good. Just you wait, wasteland, I'm going to save you."