August 20th, 2279

Zack walked around the outside of the semi trailer to see what damage had been done to it. Dirt and sand was heavily built along the south side of the trailer creating almost a ramp that one could walk up. He went around to the other side and saw what had impacted on the previous day. It was some kind of ladder attached to an orange smooth curved piece of long plastic. Zack had seen this object before. It was part of those places that the kids used to play at during the pre-war days. He could not remember the name of the object in front of him, just that it usually belonged on a play ground.

Zack tried to find the road that he was following before the dust storm hit. It was completely gone now, covered by who knows how many inches of dirt. He decided that it would just be best to continue on towards the mountains in front of him. The Estrella Mountains, as Rex had told him. Zack had no clue if this was a pre-war name for it, or one that some local had come up with and it just happen to stick. Either way, he started off.

After much walking, the sun was starting to show its lovely bright self just over the mountains he was heading towards. He pulled his goggles to his eyes, but kept his head wrap off at the moment so he would be able to hear without trouble. He took notice to how much cacti grew in this area, a lot more than the area around Polvo. Cactus was an excellent survivalist. They had the means to defend themselves with spines, needed very little water, and could live up to three hundred years. One had to be careful of some breeds of cacti though. Most were harmless, only having small spines that scratched you if you got too close, but others like the saguaro, after being radiated, were able to swing its arms at threats nearby. It was even rumored that when they were ready to breed they would pull themselves out of the ground, and walk great distances using its roots as feet to find a suitable mate.

Deciding it was time for a break, he found an old deadened juniper tree that offered some peaceful shade. He sat down with his back to the trunk of the tree and took some sips from his canteen. Some sweat ran down his check and traveled under his jaw. The movement caused his face to itch and he ran his hand on the side of his face. The beard growth there annoyed him and he opened his pack to retrieve his razor. He splashed some water on his face, and tried his best to shave without the aid of a mirror. After he finished he felt each side of his face and thought it was the best he could do under current circumstances. He pulled out his map and check where exactly Cherry Cliff was again, once he passed the smaller mountain range, he could start making his way northeast towards it. He took out and ate one ear of corn and the rest of the Jackal Rabbit meat. He returned his map and starting traveling once again. He wrapped his head up and kept his eyes to the sky for Rad Hawks, which most likely hunted during daylight.

The bulk of the day passed without incident and it was nearing the end of the afternoon, he had been walking for almost twelve hours. Zack was pushing himself for the miles that had been lost the last couple of days. His back was sore and with each step he took, his legs burned with pain as a reminder they were just about done for the day. Even with all the discomfort coursing through his body, he continued on. Just as the sun making its way towards the horizon behind him, he thought it best to find place to make camp. He undid his head wrap, and pulled his goggles to his forehead. Up ahead he saw what looked like some kind of crude shack made of sheet metal and wood. It looked like it would be effective shelter for the evening, and he made his way towards it. He took out his father's coin from the inside of his duster and moved it across his fingers as he had done yesterday.

As he closed the distance to the metal shack light was starting to fade from the sky. For a moment Zack thought he saw smoke appear on the other side of the shack.

"Damn, someone must have had the same idea I had. Maybe they're willing to share the space if I share some food."

Zack was just beginning to pass the backside of the shack, when a man stepped out from the other side of the building holding a ripper in his right hand and wore a menacing smile. He was dressed in leather armor, wore a blue bandanna on his head, and had on black boots with no laces. The man's nose looked like it had broken in the past and never healed right. His grey eyes were squinting in the fading light, and they looked like he was ready to kill. Zack had been running the silver coin in his right hand which prevented him from instinctively drawing his revolver from behind his duster. He still could try and pull it, but this man in front of him was close enough that any movement might make him pounce. Even if he could get a shot off, that ripper would make lunch meat of him. Zack was in trouble. Thoughts raced through his mind of what he could possibly do to come out unscathed.

"Well alright! I thought I heard some fuck trying to sneak up on here. Looks like you're dumb enough too, waltzing around out here without a weapon." The man said laughing afterwards.

"Good, he doesn't see my holster."

"I wasn't really sneaking, I thought there would be someone here to share camp with. I was mistaken. I'll gladly look elsewhere and leave you be."

The man shook his head a few times his yellowing teeth forming a wicked grin. "I was just thinking too, I wish some dumb shit would come by here with a bunch of trade goods or something that I would be able to just gut them and take the best pickings. And look, the wasteland provides." He revved the ripper a few times. It seemed like he was trying to intimidate Zack, as if he was a little afraid of him. This coupled with the fact that he smelled of booze gave Zack an idea.

"It just might work."

The man started to step towards Zack. "Are you by chance a gambling man?" Zack asked quickly. He starting to run the coin through his fingers again, making sure the man could see.

"Well fuck!" The man stopped moving forward as if the question intrigued him. He was about four feet from Zack. "Pretty much everyone has to be a gambler of some kind to be crazy enough to wander around the wastes. So I'd say yes I am. What of it?"

"You would really like to have all my supplies and gear right? And I would really like to live to see another day. I have this coin here." Zack lifted his hand and showed the man each side. "I'm going to flip this coin in the air and let it land on the ground. If it comes up heads, well you can cut off mine, and get all my gear. But if it lands on the shield which is tails, I'll drop all my gear here and leave with my tail still intact. Either way you win. So what do you say? Care to take that bet?" Zack tried to keep his face from showing any deceit.

"Holy shit man! What kind of stuff are you shooting up? You are a crazy fuck to come up with this kinda thing, but I like it. You've got a deal man. Seems like either way you're still screwed though, you won't last one day out here without any gear or supplies. So flip that bitch and let's get done with it!"

Zack smiled inwardly and nodded his head. He moved the coin a few more times back and forth through his fingers, making sure that the man's grey eyes followed it. He placed it on his thumb and index finger, and flipped it into the air a good three feet above their heads. The man's head rose following the coin upwards as Zack stared straight at him. Zack quickly withdrew his revolver from inside his duster and fired it twice into the man's chest. The shots broke the silence in the coming night like two huge towers made of glass had just collapsed on themselves. The man's body began to fall backwards, his eyes were wide with shock, and his mouth formed an o. The body hit the ground just as the coin landed in front of Zack's feet. Zack looked down to it.

"Heads. Awesome."

Zack bent down and picked up the silver coin with his left hand. As he did so he heard a distorted voice from inside the shack.

"I guess he got the worst part of the deal in that bet."

Zack with revolver still in hand moved cautiously towards the other side of the metal shack. There was a small fire burning a ways from the shack. It looked like some kind of meat was cooking on sticks over hanging the flames. He aimed his gun in front of him ready to fire as he made turned the corner. Apparently the shack was only built with three walls, or the front had blown off at some point, perhaps in the last dust storm. When Zack saw where the voice had come from, he holstered his revolver and put his coin in his pocket. He looked down at the person in front of him.

Sitting against the back of the metal shack, bounded by rope on their hands and feet was a young woman, who looked to be a little younger than Zack. She sat with her knees up and her hands resting on top of them. She wore a light blue RobCo jumpsuit with the sleeves rolled up, there was some kind of metal bracelet on her right hand, and on her feet were black and white sneakers. Her skin was light olive in color, her hair was black, it was shoulder length, and she wore it down. She had a long jaw line which ran down to a semi pointed chin. Her cheek bones sat high which caused her eyes to sit a little wide and were small. Her eyes were green, and eye brows were thin. Her nose was small and was upturned a little showing her nostrils some, but did so in a cute way. She looked to be maybe five seven in height and her body was athletically built. The left side of her face was bruised badly from her jaw to her eye. It looked like it was the product of multiple hits. Her lips were cracking and there was also some dried blood at the corner of her mouth.

"Not to be a bother, but I don't suppose you could take a moment from gawking at me to cut these?" She held up her hands in front of her towards Zack.

Zack jumped a little when she spoke. He did not know how much time had passed since he had been staring down at her. "Sorry, I can do that for you."

Zack crouched down and pulled his combat knife from its sheath, cut her hands free first, then her feet. She rubbed at her wrists, and Zack could see the ropes had chaffed them badly. She must have been tied up for sometime.

"Thank you." She said softly. "You killed that man didn't you?"

Zack took off his canteen and handed it to her, as he nodded. "Please, drink some. And yes, it was either him or me. Who was he?"

The woman drank from the canteen, choking a little as she did so. "Just some punk ass slaver. I'm glad he didn't get the best of you though. When he heard you coming he told me to keep my mouth shut, or else he'd beat the other side of my face in. I was tempted to give you warning, but I was afraid of more punishment."

"Don't worry about it, he wasn't too bright. He should've known when someone is gambling with their life, they're most likely to cheat to get out of the bet."

The woman laughed a bit at this statement which brought a smile to Zack. She looked like she had gone through a lifetimes worth of pain, and needed a good laugh.

"My name's Zack. I'm glad I came by when I did. I almost stopped for the night a little ways back. I would have never found you."

"Yes, thank you again for doing what you did. My name's Kade Harmon. Glad to meet you Zack. Do you have a last name?"

Zack shook his head. "At the moment, no, but I'm working on it."

Kade stared at him with a quizzical look.

Zack chuckled. "It's a long story. You hungry? That meat on the fire looks like it's about to burn. Let's say we have some before that happens alright?

Kade nodded happily. "Yes! Please, I'm starving."

Zack walked took off his pack and unattached his bedroll and laid it down. "Here, sit on this. It's more comfortable than the ground." She thanked him and moved onto it, her body reacting slowly to her commands. She looked tired and in agony.

"Man that guy really did a number on her. He deserved what came to him."

Zack walked over to the fire and collected the sticks from over the fire. It looked like mole rat meat. Not the best meat, but it would have to do. He walked back to the shack and sat down next to Kade. He gave her most of the mole rat meat and one of ears of corn from his pack. She thanked him and began eating. He started to pick the meat on his stick. It was hard to chew, but sat well in his stomach. Zack sat there watching Kade eat happily as if she had not had any food for a few days.