The Welcome Committee

Morning came, and I was jerked awake by the sound of minigun fire. I looked all around to realize it was nothing but my imagination. Sam glanced over at me and I saw him getting ready to move out, so I silently did the same. I rolled up my mat and stuffed the rest of my belongings in my pack. Sam gave me a nod and I joined the guy in a little climb up the rock wall. The rock barrier was almost three stories up and I'd never had to climb something like that before. When one of us got stuck, we'd lower a silent hand for the other to grab and help each other up. I would have let the guy fall to his death several times for what he did, but again; he was my only escort into New Reno. Climbing the rocks, I wondered why it was just Sam and I that survived. Why couldn't it have been literally anyone else? I thought of different ways that karma, God, or whatever would kick Sam's ass, but then we reached the top.

Sitting atop the rock barrier, I looked out to the south. There it was, New Reno. Set in the middle of a long, long valley was a large city. Dozens of large buildings were seated in the center surrounded by miles of collapsed suburban homes. The place was too far to detail, but my staring was interrupted when I heard Sam climb up the last boulder and take his place a few feet from me.

Joining me in a look at the stupendous view of the city, Sam said, "That explains a lot…" between tired breaths.

I didn't really want to acknowledge the guy, but I instinctively asked, "What do you mean?"

Still looking towards the ruined city, he pointed a finger in the general direction of town and responded, "See the road coming towards us?"

I looked out to the distance and there was nothing worth noting. All I could see was flat desert, and a couple miles away was the first homes on the edge of old-world Reno. I answered, "No? What are you talking about?"

He said, "Exactly. Road was buried long ago, and the mountain collapsed where we're sitting..."

I looked over at him and he looked at me. "Nobody's been able to find the Sierra Army Depot cause the road's been buried and the passes north have collapsed…"

I sat on the rock quietly and noticed the only noteworthy landmark at the edge of town. A completely ruined highway ramp stood there and appeared to have once led towards us. The long desert between us and the edge of town had long since disappeared in the bombs and sun. I wondered the significance of Sam's little factoid, but suddenly realized that I didn't give a shit about his motives or mission after what happened. Regardless, he was apparently trying to find the long-lost base, but got everyone killed in the process.

I simply said, "Let's get to town."

It was still the early morning when we spent the better part of the next hour carefully climbing down the rock barrier. From there, it was all desert straight into town. It looked like the city was hit hard from the distance and the suburbs seemed to confirm that story. The old guard crew always spoke about how prosperous and full the town was, but I was too far to see what they were talking about atop the rock barrier. When we entered the outskirts of old-world Reno, I started hearing the distant sounds of gunfire and recalled what my guard friends said. Gangs of raiders and folks called, "Yakuza" were said to patrol the outskirts of town looking for lone travelers. That was why caravans put so much emphasis on "numbers" when going into or out of town. As much as I disliked the guy, Sam was a veteran explorer and native to New Reno, so I trusted him to escort me into New Reno safely… For both our sakes.

I followed Sam through the suburbs going a couple blocks an hour well into the day. Sometimes we would have to pause and hide out in a hollow home to wait for a group of marauders to pass. I always wanted to see what the miscreants looked like, but knew it was imperative that I stay out of sight. If I could see them, they could see me, and all I knew about the outer Reno scum was the sound their footsteps made. As the hours of hiding and slow moving went by, I began wondering if my guard friends were full of it. I knew it was a big city when I saw it from the rock barrier, but after a while I was nervous about never finding the supposed "civilized" part of town. Atop the mountain and for all I knew, the city just looked like your typical metropolitan ruin from an era long dead.

Eventually, Sam said that we made it to the main road into town after looping several blocks south and later west. We were heading north on "Main Street" that was supposedly taking us to "Virgin Street" where the entrance to town was. After another hour of stealthily moving down the Main Street, we started seeing little groups of fortified outposts dotted with signs that said "Traders/Tourists/Scavers Welcome!" and my mind was eased. Most of the little outpost guards asked if we were raiders or traders and Sam's loud voice clarified, "traders." I remember briefly thinking the outpost occupants should change the designation because the two words sounded so alike.

By the time we had almost finished our long walk through the ruins and up Main Street, it was 6:00pm and the sun was almost gone. The closer we got to the town everyone knew, the more people we began to see, and we were walking with a group of wastelanders towards "Virgin Street" which wasn't far off. I was just glad to be amongst people who weren't looking to kill us (At least outright). We walked on down the main avenue to town between the trader inhabited and mercenary protected checkpoints into growing crowds of people, and by 6:15pm, I made out a large distant sign spanning the road ahead. The sun had almost disappeared below the mountains and the large sign suddenly lit up all bright. Large red lights pierced the darkness displaying, "RENO" for the whole wasteland while large buildings beyond it flickered on one by one. I was in awe.

I wish we could've seen the city from the distance at night because as the lights of town flickered to life, I was speechless. Large buildings were lit by glowing neon and the streets around New Reno proper were lit by the flickering flames of trashcan fires. Sam and I continued on until the crowds were thick and the Reno archway was just up ahead. Wastelanders traded goods, caravans unloaded wares, junkies wandered aimlessly, people in dirtied suits walked for the "Casinos", large men in pressed suits stood together in groups, scavers and wasters huddled around trashcan fires, and scantily dressed women asked everyone near them if they wanted some "company." I couldn't believe that not long ago I thought Klamath and even Redding were big towns. Redding had several hundred people, but even that place was nowhere near as happening and lively as New Reno. Growing up in Idaho, I never would've imagined a place like New Reno existed in a million years.

I was completely enveloped by the surrounding sights of powered buildings, the glow of flames, and more people than I'd seen in my whole life. We were in a crowd just before the giant Reno archway and I broke my gaze to an illuminated two-story building called the "Cat's Paw." Somehow, I managed to stick with Sam in the crowd and heard some unusual commotion through the chattering of tourists, junkies, and wastelanders. Hearing the commotion, I shifted my attention towards the disgraced explorer. Just before him and myself were four towering men in clean black suits with sleeves that almost burst trying to contain the giant muscles under them. Each of the giants wore white fedoras atop their heads with a black hat band, and below that were intense sneers on their nearly identical faces.

The fancy thug in front of Sam said, "Look who it is boys! Sam Pritchard!? Think you could sneak past us? And look, you brought a buddy too!"

Sam glanced back at me, and then at the thugs. I was about to meekly say that I wasn't with Sam, but the thugs behind the leader chuckled and pounded their fists together, clearly ready for a conflict. I also found myself unable to slink into a crowd, feeling sort of captivated by the giants' physiques and their incredibly fancy black suits.

Sam said, "You boys don't wanna fuck with me right now. Wright Family's expecting me, and they're sure as shit ready to make a move if you dipshits try to get in their business."

The thug brought his finger to his chin in an exaggerated and sarcastic manner and said, "Oh, really!? Let me think for a second… Oh wait!? I don't give two Fucks! You skipped town before paying your dues and we're here to collect."

Sam whipped his head towards me and shouted, "NOW!"

Not aware of any plan, and not intending to defend Sam in any way; it was too late for me to explain my own situation. One giant thug lurched towards me as I scrambled to take the rifle off my shoulder. Before I could blink, I felt a large truck hit me in the chest. On the ground, I briefly saw Sam holding his own, but getting pummeled by the other three thugs. As I looked to the stars, the large suited man who hit me towered above as I lay on the ground. My brain caught up to what happened, and I was suddenly aware of the pain from that punch. I was gasping for air as the man/giant looked down at me. Self-defense mode kicked in, and I pathetically swiped my foot towards the leg of the flashy thug in an almost adorable attempt to trip him. Nothing happened. I simply felt my foot collide with his stone calf and my leg fell limp. In the brief moment after that pitiful attempt at self-defense, I was mentally ready for fate to whisk me away to the next life. Last thing I saw was a large fist with several shiny rings moving slowly towards my face, and I was unconscious yet again.