"Alright kid, you ready to continue?" Adam said as he emerged from the gate dressed down now.
"Sure!" The kid said with some pep as he got off the wall and then walked over to Adam. "Did you have a destination in mind?"
"Well yes, I have a few other places I'd like you to show me to as well as answering some questions if you don't mind."
"Of course mister! You can count on me!" He said with a thumb pointing to himself proudly. Adam chuckled softly.
"The name is Adam, Adam Baxter." He said kindly.
"The name's Derek! Just Derek." He gave a toothy grin.
"Well, Derek, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to see the best weapon's shop, armor shop, and general store, if you'd please. After that, if there's a good place to go for a variety of restaurants I'd like you to show me there too."
"Alrighty Adam!" He said as he started to march off and then paused. "Um… what do you mean by general store? You mean like junk?" Adam paused to consider his question.
"Well… I suppose so, perhaps."
"Okay! I can do that! I'll introduce you to the old man first!" He said as he pointed dramatically in a direction he was planning on walking and then started leading Adam back the way they came to a different place in Midway.
"You said you had questions?" Derek asked curiously while they walked.
"Yes…" Adam paused as he considered how to ask this. "I learned when I arrived that Ghouls aren't allowed in the airport proper. How come?" Derek looked at him a bit confused.
"Because they are dangerous?" He said, like a question. Like it was an obvious answer.
"Well I mean, everyone knows that a ghoul is only sane for so long, eventually they go feral. Ghouls don't hurt other ghouls but if one were to go feral in the city that'd be bad."
"Do ghouls go feral enough for that to be a problem?" Adam asked, trying to probe this line of reasoning. Derek just shrugged.
"I don't know, but it must be for the rule to be like that."
"How long has that rule been in place?"
"Forever." Derek responded simply. "As long as I've been alive anyway." Adam nodded, realizing he wasn't going to get satisfying enough answers from Derek.
"I have a question for you if you don't mind." Derek asked as he continued leading, now past the main floor where the entrance is.
"Sure, I don't mind."
"What do you do for a living? You were wearing a lot of gear when you came in. A lot of guns too. Are you some kind of mercenary? Contract killer?" Derek asked casually. Showing how neither profession was too much of a black mark in today's society.
"Well no." Adam laughed softly. "I'm a Scaver."
"Oh!" Derek said with realization. "I understand! You must be pretty good at it to be able to rent a room at the Delta, most scavers rent the cheap rooms and don't make much money." That gave Adam pause, he hadn't even considered whether he was successful at his job or not. If Derek was to be believed he was not only lucky but far better at it than he assumed. Then again, it was a dangerous world outside, not a single trip outside was without its own dangers. Even his first run to the movie theater was not without its own enemies to fight. So it certainly wasn't for the faint of heart. It was a far better idea for the average person to take up a different job. Even bodyguards don't have to fight to stay alive all the time, most of the time it meant just standing around looking tough. Mercenaries were a different story, but perhaps bodyguards and mercenaries were just two sides of the same coin nowadays.
"I like to think I am." Adam said after a moment to contemplate. "But it doesn't mean it's easy."
"Oh I bet!" Derek said enthusiastically. "Tell me, have you fought any super mutants? Any Deathclaws?" His eyes were practically twinkling now. Adam chuckled.
"Yes and no." he smirked. "I have fought some super mutants, me and my friend Salvatore killed some on the way here, 3 to be exact, they were tough." He said with respect. "And while I've never fought a deathclaw I did come near one before, it scared the crap out of me. I was lucky to get away." Derek crossed his arms and nodded in an almost sagely way.
"I bet. I've heard deathclaws are super dangerous!" He grinned and then looked ahead to where they were going, which seemed to be another market street but unlike the flea market like structure near the entrance instead it was all store built into the former shops that once filled the airport. Derek led him past a few shops and towards a weapon shop that came into view. It was already a boon to know about this area. He had a feeling this whole area was for more quality goods unlike the stuff he would find on the first floor.
"Hey old man! I got you a customer!" Derek called out as he approached a shop with a counter at the front of the store and was littered with weapons of all kinds. Blades, knives, axes, guns, laser weapons, rocket launchers, you name it. Some were strapped to the walls, some were on shelves, and some were hanging from the ceiling.
"I told you not to call me that you little brat." A bald older man with graying facial hair groomed into a goatee and with thick biceps stepped out of the door to the back and onto the shop floor. He walked over to Derek and roughly rubbed his head, messing up his hair.
"Hey!" Derek called out, swatting his hand away after a moment. The weapon shopkeeper looked at Adam and extended a hand.
"The names Jay, Weaponsmith, repairman, and salesman. Pleased to meet you." He smiled brightly. Adam gladly took his hand and shook it.
"Adam Baxter." He returned with a smile of his own.
"Baxter eh? Well ain't that a funny coincidence." He laughed.
"What do you mean?" Adam asked, confused what he was talking about.
"Just that the name Baxter carries some weight around this area, used to be a guy who went by Baxter a few years ago, before he went dark anyway." He then paused as he put his hand to his chin and stroked his beard while he mused aloud. "I think Baxter was his first name though? I don't know, haven't seen him in a while, probably dead." He shrugged.
That certainly was a funny coincidence, Baxter wasn't altogether that uncommon of a name so it was not surprising to hear about another Baxter, though it was amusing to him. Maybe one day he might meet another Adam too? Just future thoughts.
"Well anyway you got a good firm handshake there. You can tell a lot about a man from the way he shakes hands." He grinned.
'Oh? And what does mine say about me?" Adam asked, curious and more than willing to bite.
"That you are confident in yourself and skills, but are eager to prove yourself, trying to make a good impression." He grinned. Adam looked impressed.
"Vague but nail on the head." He laughed with a smile. "Do you moonlight as a fortune teller?" This got a good hearty laugh out of Jay.
"Oh sure that would sell well!" He grinned as he put up his hands and mimed a sign in front of him as he spoke. "Jay's discount fortune telling!" He grinned. "I'd have customers around the bend!" He smiled.
"Anyway what brings you to my little shop there Mr. Baxter, besides, of course, this little bastard bringing you along?" He smiled as he once more rubbed the head of Derek but this time more affectionately. Though Derek still looked unhappy to be treated like a kid.
"Ah, well to be honest I was more scoping out locations for the future, figuring knowing where the best weapon shop in Midway was a good thing to have under my belt." Adam grinned.
"Well ain't you a flatter." He chuckled. "You some kind of mercenary?"
"Ah, that makes sense." He then looked Adam up and down for a moment. "I certainly hope you don't go outside looking like that." Adam looked down at himself and then laughed.
"Oh no, I do have a ton more gear back in my room I'm renting in the Delta. I just didn't see a need to lug it around everywhere, a holstered pistol was enough for me." Jay nodded.
"Since I am here though, Do you have any Fusion Cells you can sell me? Also maybe a scope for my rifle."
"Sure, I can do that." He said as he walked over to a locker against the back wall, took out a key, and unlocked it revealing a ton of ammo inside. "How many Cells you need?"
"Uhhh… I think 3 is fine for now. They don't burn out fast so I don't need too many." He nodded and then pulled out three.
"And for the scope got a magnification in mind? A type? Also, does your gun have any rails." Adam paused to think. He hadn't realized he would get options.
"I think a 6 times magnification would be good, though if it can switch between magnifications that'd be even better, I'm not too particular about the type, but I would need it to be able to be pulled to the side when I want to use the iron sights instead. Also no, the rifle does not have any rails." Jay stroked his beard for a minute and then nodded, he left to go into the back and then came back out a few minutes later with a perfect scope for Adam's request.
"I think this will do ya nicely. It's pricey though, 200 caps, but it will do everything you need." He grinned and then added. "I can even do the installation for you for only 20 caps."
"I think i can install it myself…" He paused to think, 200 caps was far more than he was willing to spend right now he needed to keep some money on hand for unexpected situations. Maybe in the future.
"I don't think I can afford it right now, but hold onto it for me, I'm going to be doing another run in a few days, if it's good I'll buy it then."
"Suit yourself." He said as he put it back. "The 3 fusion cells will run you 45 caps." He said as he pressed a key on his register to open the drawer. Adam handed him a 50 cap bill and got 5 loose caps in exchange.
"Anything else I can do for ya?"