The young man sat around the entrance to the tube station having finished his meal of dog. He was sat against a wall opposite the armoured corpse and was reading a book with as he held the last remnants of the Nuka-Cola in his hand.
He was sat enjoying himself and then took a breath as he prepared to swallow what was left of his precious drink. The bottle touched his lips then suddenly a screech came from the towards the tube line. He jumped in fright and spilt most of his drink down him. His heart raced he cursed and he wiped the dampness away from himself. Annoyed he sighed and threw the bottle down the escalators. He heard it shatter and it was followed by another screech.
Knowing the sound and what creature it was coming from he decided it best to pack up and go as opposed to baiting it more. He stood up put his satchel back on and his cloak then putting the helmet under one arm he set out into the sunlight of the morning.
He stood looking out at the cross roads knowing exactly where he was going but there was no use rushing unless he wanted to get himself killed. It wasn't safe any where these days unless you were in a settlement. However he needed to unload himself of the valuable helmet. Looking about in the sun a bit longer he headed west in the direction of Stablestown.
There was a certain man there who would need the helmet and it would be out of the way of a certain organisation who would simply demand it back. Walking he kept a constant ear out for any sounds of trouble. He doubt he would run into any around here he was too close to a human settlement to attract the attention of Super Mutants. Ghouls or dogs were his worst problems and judging by his earlier victory the dogs weren't much of a problem.
He smiled thinking of his earlier fortune it was a lucky throw and one that had earned him a nice breakfast. A warm wind blew across the city stirring up the ash that littered the floor and as he walked his cloak billowed out behind him and he was forced to raise his hood up just to protect his face and he dug into his pouches on his belt and pulled out some old welding goggles that had plain glass in them and put those on to protect his eyes. He would have used the helmet but it was so heavy and muggy in there.
He looked up at an old office block and could see a light was on in the top floor, knowing the area well it was one of the fore scouts for Stablestown (The town that used to be Camden many years ago). He thought about ascending the stairs to speak to the scouts to see if there was any news, they were normally the people to ask about the comings and goings as they remained free from the politics of situations and would give you a black and white view.
He decided against it eager to get rid of the dead weight under his arm that he'd already had to swap arms five times now. Soon enough though he came round a decrepit building he saw the gates of Stablestown. With a smile and a new energy brought on but the new sight of the gates he spurred himself on.
He approached the gates guards a man and woman. Both dressed in the guards uniform a blue boiler suit with armour woven into it and old police riot helmets.
"Halt!" the rather weedy young man said holding up his hand.
The young man carrying his helmet stopped still smiling knowing the formalities of the town very well.
"What's your name and purpose in Stablestown?" The guard asked in a monosyllabic voice.
"I have goods to sell," he held up the helmet, "I'm here to see Caesar, this is his sort of thing. My name is Clayton he knows me well if you wish to check" he lowered the helmet back under his right arm.
"No need your trade seems genuine." The guard replied and pulled a whistle out of his pocket and then with a crack and groan the gates started to open slowly. "Advance you may pass." He said beckoning Clayton over.
Smiling Clayton walked forwards and patted the guard on the shoulder. He didn't know the guards name but he'd seen him working the gates before and sure he'd been accosted by him before. As soon as he had passed the wall the gates began to close behind him. Taking a moment to pull his hood down and then remove his goggles. He walked past some more guards who had their guns unslung and in their hands. They looked at him coldly as he trudged through the muddy ground of Stablestown.
Stablestown was relatively large as outposts went there were the old markets surrounding an old stone bridge. Most people lived in huts inside the old buildings, that were still standing. The old ditch that had once been the canal in old London town was now full again but only because the residents had blocked it off at both ends with their wall that was almost a perfect circle around the old markets. It acted as their own little reservoir, providing you boiled the water first and put it through the filtration systems that several citizens had erected around the town.
There were some wooden huts in the open areas that had been raised as people came here to live and there were one or two buildings being made again from stone. The wall around Stablestown was around twenty foot high and protected the citizens well. With guards station on the roofs overlooking the walls they could see trouble before it happened. Along with the outside guards and the scouts they were well protect.
In what was the stable market now housed the town's livestock and almost everyone worked to keep the animals going and some of the vegetables they managed to grow, even if they were deformed and often tasteless. The ground was open and free from tarmac that the residents had dug up to reveal the ground beneath. Hence the vast amounts of mud.
Clayton hated the mud in this town, it was everywhere. However there was no sign of the stuff from the outside just the dust of the city. His turned his face up to the sky and looked at the clouds. There was probably going to be rain today judging by the speed of the wind and the ominous looking clouds on the horizon.
He knew exactly where he was heading and though the mud slowed him down it didn't stop his determined steps. He head to the other big building that wasn't the stables and eventually reached dry land and took a moment to clean his boots of on the old cobbles. Several people walked past him some of them recognising him, others seeing him for the first time.
After scraping them sufficiently he took stock of the surrounding area the large open base of the market had stalls in where shops sold their wares to travellers and citizens alike. The stalls were around the bases of the columns that supported the large building. Forming a corridor of stalls that one could walk down and have stalls at either side. At the end of this thoroughfare was a door in the wall which had two armed guards either side of it. Above the stalls were the overhangs where if you took one of the many doors you could take stairs up to them, there were mainly living quarters for mainly the rich of Stablestown.
Clayton walked down the corridor with stall owners yelling at him trying to flog him some deal, of some sorts. He wasn't distracted by them though he marched towards the door at the end gripping his trophy under his arm knowing its worth to the man on the other side. He reached the door and nodded a greeting to the guards who did recognise him.
"Clayton, good to see you again." The one on the right said.
"You too John." Clayton responded.
John leaned over and rapped on the door with his hand and the panel at eye height slid open to reveal a dark set of eyes behind.
"Boss' has got a visitor." John said.
The panel slid back and the door began to unbolt from the other side. After a series of clanks the door then creaked open. Behind stood a giant of a man who didn't have a gun on him however he didn't look like he needed in all fairness. He was so tall that in the small opening area he couldn't stand up straight and looked down over Clayton.
"Hey Brick, how are you?" Clayton said cheerily.
Brick only grunted in response. Clayton squeezed in and patted the giant man on the elbow, for that's all he could reach.
"Much the same then?" Clayton smiled as he walked into the main room of the dimly light area.
Brick grunted and smiled. He couldn't talk hadn't been able to since birth apparently, or so Clayton had been told. He was incredibly bright considering he couldn't read or write. He was a useful asset to the township and would put his great size to work with the animals when he wasn't guarding his boss during his working hours that was.
Clayton walked out into a large open room with large shelves laid out in rows. On these selves were a horde of guns. He'd been in this room many times in his travels and he'd never seen an armoury to compete with it. At the end of the room was counter which was empty right now minus the usual occupant. There were enough for each type of gun to have its own section devoted to it. He always walked past the section containing the shotguns each time encase one caught his eye to replace the one he lost around a year ago. He wondered in and began to look around at the guns.
He approached the shelves for the shotguns, plenty of double barrel and a few pump action ones littered the shelves. They were all large twelve gauges capable of causing severe injury and close range. One caught his eye; it had a old double barrel one on top of it. He placed the helmet on the floor and then plunged his hand in and pulled it out.
It was an old pump action shotgun. He'd never seen one like it before, it had to be two foot long at the most. It had a pistol grip on its pump as well as the trigger end and felt good in his hands. It was smooth and comfortable as he slid the pump action with ease.
"You looking to buy Clayton, for once?" A voice said.
Clayton looked up and beamed at the old man he was sat behind the counter now his hands together and in front of him. Sat like a business man at his desk talking to a new client.
"How much?" he said.
"More than you could afford" The old man replied.
"Ah, well I think I could change your mind on that." Clayton replied placing the shotgun back.
"I doubt..." the old man began but Clayton pulled the helmet of the shelf into the old man's field of vision. He stared as Clayton walked towards the counter.
"Where did you find that?" the old man asked.
"This well I found it on a man who won't be needing it anymore." Clayton replied as he placed it down on the counter.
"For the shotgun?" he asked tapping it.
The old man looked at it a while and then consider Clayton. "No, but it'll get you some more ammo for that nice rifle of yours." He said.
"Oh come on Caesar we both know how much you're after power armour for the town's guards." Clayton responded slipping into bargaining mode. He liked Caesar but didn't like feeling like he was being ripped off.
Caesar was one of the three members of the council in Stablestown, voted in as the town operated as a democracy. The whole town every four years would take a vote on who would lead their city and keep them safe and running. Caesar was voted in to take care of the cities defence and civil obedience, despite being a trader and he at the time wished to be governor of the merchants. He was voted in to the defence so now used the town's armoury as a store but would only broker deals that would benefit the town. The town had prospered for it. However he was desperate for power armour to keep the towns guards well protected from bandit or mutant attacks. They were infrequent but everyone ended with one or two guards dead and they were loses that the town couldn't afford they didn't have the man power to sustain the farming they did and the guards at the rate they were going. It was known to Clayton through various contacts that Caesar had contact the Brotherhood of Steel for help or to buy power armour off them. They had not been entirely helpful, they couldn't afford the man power or risk selling them power armour. However they had sent him the specifics to make their own. Now they were after power armour of the materials to make them Clayton knew there was a suit only two hours walk from where they now spoke.
"Yes exactly power armour not one helmet." Caesar replied tapping it. "If you had a full set or armour we could talk. "
Clayton considered this offer for a moment. "Okay then, I can't give you a full suit of armour but I can tell you where to find one." He offered.
"Did you think I was born..." Caesar snapped.
However Clayton held up a hand to silence him, "To answer your question no, I don't however I know the guards do everything to you tell them. How about I let you send them they could be back within a few hours and then we broker some sort of deal."
Caesar eyed him cautiously, "My men would be walking into a trap would they?" he said
"Nope, I came there myself a few hours ago. I will point out it does have a big hole in its chest but I'm sure it's repairable by your technicians in town."
"How big?"
"You'll have to judge for yourself."
"Right well I can't spend the men right now I'll send them tonight, I trust you can stick around?"
"I'm sure I can hang around."
Caesar didn't reply he just stared at Clayton, after a few seconds of silence Caesar parted his hands annoyed, "Well where is it then?"
"Oh...yeah sure...for the shotgun?" Clayton replied
"Of course, well judging on its condition." They shook hands.
"Good, it's at Archway tube station." Clayton said smiling
"I'll see you tomorrow morning just before midday?" Caesar asked
"Count on it." Clayton gave him a sly salute and turned towards the door, leaving the helmet behind congratulating himself on a good deal. He was going to get himself a drink.