Adam took the time to explore the building with his charges, showing them all the rooms and pointing out the good and bad about the location. As they descended below Adam noticed that a few things from the shelves were gone when he was certain they had been left behind before. Not much, just a few MREs and the like but it was proof that his initial suspicion that no one came after they did was wrong. However they did not seem to have taken much.

  Adam too took some of the MREs as they walked around, the Vault needed them and even though he was willing to donate whatever was left here to the new settlement they were building he did not see a reason to avoid taking some of it back home with him. After all, any amount of food he could bring back to the Vault would make a difference, he was something of the provider of food for the entire Vault population now.

  The tour of the first floor was easy as there was natural light flooding in from the doors. However as they descended lower the fact that there were no lights on made things challenging for them all. Of course it seemed everyone had a light, his friends with the pip-boys, and the two ghouls with flashlights, but still it was not the easiest to give a tour in the dark. He had to reassure them the power worked fine but that since he had taken the fusion core from the fusion generator the building was currently without any power. Getting a new one would be a task for them.

  The two ghouls were equally impressed and horrified to see not only the masses of dead super mutants laying around in the hallways but the super mutant behemoth that lay dead in the hole in the floor.

  However, despite the negatives the plumbing still worked in the building, the power could work so long as they got a fusion core, and there were already beds and makeshift bedrooms as well as a makeshift kitchen and other converted spaces dotted throughout. They would have their work cut out for them to clean up the dead bodies and bring the space back to livable conditions but they were impressed.

  In addition, while Adam did siphon off a handful more MREs, filling his backpack and Salvatore’s and Deccanus’ too, there were still a few crates full of MREs left behind that would be a great big boon to them starting up a community here. In addition, while they did take the majority of the guns and ammo when they looted the place, they did not take every last bullet so there was enough left over to give them a headstart in creating a defensive force to protect this place. Adam could certainly take it all back with him, he considered it, but they needed it more than him and sometimes making a friend was worth the loss of a few caps.

  Satisfied with the location after the tour the 5 of them all loaded back into the APC and headed back to the highway again to inform the rest of what they had learned.

  Just like on the way out it was a boring long drive, though Adam did have to change directions twice to avoid the sounds of a gunfight in the distance, deciding that discretion was the smarter choice in this case.

  By the time they arrived back at the highway night was beginning to settle in the sky and Adam was more than ready to head home and sleep. However before he did Arden was there to meet them and get the report.

  “It's good.” Greg said with a less snarky tone than Adam had heard him use up to this point. “The guy was not lying, it needs cleaning and a fusion core but…” He glanced at Adam for a moment and then turned back to look at Arden. “I think we can make it work.” Greg grinned a bit.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Wonderful!” Arden said as he clapped his hands together. He then turned to look at Adam. “Dare I say you have given us a glimmer of hope that we have been sorely lacking the past few weeks.” Adam waved him off with a smile.

  “Don’t go thanking me yet, we still need to get you all to the FRS and that's going to take a lot of trips… and caps.” Adam said with a soft raise of his eyebrow. He was fond of helping people but he was not altruistic enough to do it without gaining any sort of benefit, not at least, when it's taking this much of his effort.

  “Indeed.” Arden said as he gently tapped Greg on the shoulder and then Greg pulled out a small caps bag and handed it to Adam. “400 caps, as agreed. We will scrounge up the rest of the caps when it's time to make our journey.”

  “When do you think you all will be ready?” Adam asked, Arden seemed to ponder for a moment.

  “Give us the night. So come back tomorrow. I’d say to give us more time, but to be honest most of us do not own much and we are eager to move. Besides while you have been gone many have already begun to pack in preparation. Come tomorrow we will likely be ready to go.” Adam nodded.

  “Alright, then I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll see you then.” Adam said as he turned to the APC. Deccanus turned to follow Adam but Salvatore stayed behind for a moment and then sighed loudly.

  “Wait kid.” Salvatore said, causing Adam to stop in his tracks. “I’m going to stay here overnight.” He said as he shouldered his rifle now.

  “What? Why?” Adam asked, confused.

  “Call it a sense of… kinship, or perhaps I’ll get to work on that suggestion we talked about now rather than later. Either way you will be back tomorrow, I’ve slept outside enough for a lifetime, staying off that comfy ass bed for one night won't kill me.” He grinned. Adam stared at him for a moment and then shrugged. He walked over to Salvatore and then pulled out 100 caps from the caps he just got.

  “Herels your cut for today.” Adam smiled.

  “What? Why? I didn’t even do anything.”

  “Sitting in the APC for half a day is not nothing, besides, there is a point at which I pay you for your work and we are starting to reach that. I bet you never considered the amount of crazy adventures I would bring you on when I bought your contract.” Adam said with a grin of his own now. Salvatore waved Adam off and shrugged.

  “Well far be it from me to turn down free caps, so just don’t go regretting it.” He said as he shoved the caps into his pouch and then turned to Greg and Arden. “Lead the way.”

  As Salvatore turned to head up to the settlement Adam walked with Deccanus to the APC.

  “Here.” Adam said as he counted out another 100 caps for Deccanus now, handing it to him. “Your cut. I would have split it evenly but the APC is mine and my investment so I think it's only fair I get a bigger cut.” Adam chuckled.

  “I do not need it.” Deccanus said firmly. “I have not done anything to deserve the money.” Adam sighed.

  “Come on, you deserve this as much as Salvatore does.”

  “I do not believe I have done anything today that would warrant the money.”

  “Then consider it your cut for helping me to get the concrete from the construction site.” Adam insisted. “Just take it, I'm not going to back down.” It was Deccanus’ turn to sigh as he took the caps now.

  “I believe you are too generous with paying your subordinates.” Deccanus said with a soft shake of his head.

  “I do not look at any of you as subordinates, you are my friends and partners, we share the danger, we share the profit.” Adam chuckled and then lightly slapped Deccanus’ back. “Come on, it's a short drive home, let's get some sleep so we can hit the road bright and early tomorrow.”