aaaaaaaagh_sky

The western sun's rays slanting across the Wasteland cast long shadows, reminding Ellen that as much as she wants to reach DC and find out what the situation is at the Lincoln Memorial, she's going to need to get some rest first. It's a long way from the Temple of the Union to the ruins. She's tired, Dogmeat's tired, and the temperature's dropping fast as it gets darker. Plus, her armor's starting to hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic, which Ellen figures is never what you'd call a good sign. Luckily there's a shack up ahead, one with a door she can open and close. "What do you think, Dogmeat?" she asks. "Does it smell okay to you?"

Dogmeat raises no objections, so she tries the door. It's solid enough. There's a table with a radio on it to one side; the radio's got enough juice left in its fission battery that it picks up the GNR signal when she turns it on. Unfortunately, when she moves to survey the rest of the place, her Geiger counter starts going off as she approaches the far corner of the room.

"Blast. It's not worth the Rad-X we'd both need," Ellen says to Dogmeat. "We'd better find somewhere else."

As they head out of the shack she pulls the door closed behind her, hard. It's not really built for that, so when it hits the doorframe it bounces open again. Pity she didn't turn around at the sound, because she'd've caught sight of the light of Milliways leaking through the inch or so that the door bounces open.

And anyone in Milliways who happens to be looking at the right spot at the right time will notice the door that suddenly opened an inch or so, letting in the cool evening air.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"Possibly, possibly," says Moriarty. "What sort of an arrangement did you have in mind?"

From:

thanksrainman

"We're just selling," he says simply. "That was Dad's thing; we don't want it. You get the deed and the property is yours. What you do with it is up to you."

He shrugs non-committally. "Like I said, things are better back there; not perfect, by any means, but it's not a mess. People got more caps to spend than they do out here. A lot of agriculture driving everything."

Beat.

"Hops. Barley. Even Juniper in some areas."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

Up goes the other eyebrow. "Is that so?" he says. "Well, now. Isn't that promising..."

From:

thanksrainman

Gus only shrugs. "The wife's family has acres of hops gardens," he says. "I don't normally have time to get off the property. Only reason I'm here now is, like I said, the brother's helping out at home."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

Moriarty nods. "Sounds like a promising scenario overall," he says. "Almost makes me wish I could get out that way meself. 'Course, that'd require someone to be left in charge here..."

From:

thanksrainman

Gus shrugs lightly as he pulls a key from his keyring. "Too bad," he says. He stands up straight and reaches for the door. "I'm sure there are other folks that would like a good pick-up."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"Now, now," says Moriarty, leaning forward. "Don't be hasty. I'm just considering me options here, all me possibilities. Got arrangements to make, y'know."

From:

thanksrainman

"Sorry, man," Gus says, turning back to Moriarty. "You know how it is; I been away from the family for almost a year. Just wanna get this stuff sold and out of my hair so I can see my kids again."

It's his favourite card to play, and he's learned how to play it quite well.

"Don't mean to rush ya, if you're interested."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"Oh, I think we could come to some sort of an agreement, to be certain," says Moriarty. "It's a question of what's got to be done first, though. I mean, I've got to look after me interests here before heading on out to look after other possibilities, don't I? And I've got to have a clear idea of what sort of a payout would be involved first, of course."

From:

thanksrainman

"I don't have the deed on me," Gus says. "I'd be stupid to travel with something like that, especially in these parts."

Just from what he's seen the last few hours, he's certain Moriarty would agree with him on this.

"I got it all locked away safely." He holds up the key with the funny plastic bit. It definitely looks like the sort of key that would open a locker.

Or a 1998 Toyota Hilux with a knackered transmission.

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"Fair enough," Moriarty concedes. "It's a damn hell-hole out there in the Wastes, that's for certain."

From:

thanksrainman

"Tell me about it," Gus says. "I mean, back home, they said it would be bad, but not like this. You sound like you've travelled; you know what I mean."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"Only as far as I've absolutely had to," says Moriarty. "Dyin' at some raider bastard's hands is bad for business, y'know."

From:

thanksrainman

"Ain't very good for family life, either," Gus points out.

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"True enough," says Moriarty, sighing theatrically. "True enough. So I suppose, really, what it comes down to is just what is it you'd expect from me at this stage of the game, and what I might expect in return, before anything particularly final goes down. Or am I reading the whole situation incorrectly?"

From:

thanksrainman

"Seems like you got it to me," Gus says. "There's an old station or base of some sort on the western bank of the river. Old military or something. But they got lockers, where I stashed all the deeds."

He holds up the key again for effect. "I just made my way up here from Bethesda; where the last guy took three of the deeds for five hundred caps each. I just wanna be done with it, so for two hundred, it's yours. Key, locker number, and everything in it."

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

Moriarty's visibly thinking this one over. Eventually, though, he nods. "Fair enough," he says. "Sounds like a proper start to me. If you'll excuse me a moment, I believe I've got a safe to be opening."

From:

thanksrainman

Gus nods. "Take your time," he says with a smile.

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

Moriarty makes a bit of a show of covering up the front of his safe as he goes to open the thing, and he only cracks it open far enough to slip a hand in and fish out his bag of bottlecaps, then slams it shut again. The counting, however, commences straightaway after that.

From:

thanksrainman

"So, it's a deal, then?" He asks easily.

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

"A deal indeed," says Moriarty, straightening up and reaching out to shake Gus's hand.

From:

thanksrainman

Gus smiles easily and shakes the man's hand. He holds up the key within the man's reach. "It's a government building. Front's... not really there any more, and there are about a dozen black and white vehicles sitting out front."

He stops there, waiting to have the... cash in hand before making up a locker number.

From:

aaaaaaaagh_sky

The cash in question is a double fistful of bottlecaps with the edges crimped under; the paint on top is mostly indicative of old beer brands, and of Nuka-Cola. "Here you are, then," he says, pushing the caps across the table. "Count it yourself, if you like, but I'll be expecting that key shortly."

From:

thanksrainman

Gus makes a show of counting the caps, but if he's honest, he doesn't care one way or the other. After a few moments, he nods and hands the key over.

"Basement level, locker number 142. It's in the north corner."