Chapter 4: A Boon for Boon

Chapter 4: A Boon for Boon

I woke up before dawn. I wanted to sleep more, but my night was full of bad dreams that made old scars ache. I climbed out of the bus seat Id curled up in and slung my pack over my shoulders. The added weight of yesterday's loot made me grimace, but it was well worth it. Outside of the bus my cart remained untouched. I got everything together and started back on the road toward Boon.

Even with my brief detour the previous day I was making good time thanks to the shortcut Id taken through the deadzone. After only about four hours of working on my favorite skill Boon began to come into sight. Id heard it described by another courier at one point, but seeing it was a different story. The town was about five times larger than Kind had been. It was built on two sides of a river, with the majority of the town on the river itself. Old tourist steamships, small dinghies, and rotting yachts were all strung together across the river and built on top of with wood and scrap metal structures. The shacks on the edges of the river all seemed to be for merchants and security, and I could tell that the outermost boats were fortified in case of attack. Even at the distance I was I could see freshly burnt holes in the walls and barricades that made up the fortification. Whatever weapon had killed the marshall had also been used here.

When I was nearly at the outskirts I realized that there were no traders in the outer part of Boon, only security with guns. I made sure my cart was visible and put my hands up after ensuring my bandana and goggles were covering my face.. Theyd definitely been attacked and were likely a little trigger happy, I wanted to appear as friendly as possible.

One of the men saw me and I watched him call for backup. I waited where I was until there were three more men that all approached me with their rifles raised.

When they were close enough I said. Courier.

One of the men, who had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, approached me a bit closer and looked me and my cart over. Slim?

Dead.

You a deadman?

That obvious huh?

He took a long draw from his cigarette and spat out the butt. Alright. He turned to the other armed men. Let him in.

I expected some argument, but they just nodded and took places behind the cart so they could escort me into the outskirts of the town. This was in a lot of ways my ideal interaction. Quick, easy, no small talk. Unfortunately, this was the one time I needed more details.

Security always this tight? I asked as I started unloading packages onto a table one of the men had dragged out of a nearby shack.

Shouldve been, answered the man whod been smoking as he lit another cigarette. He was older, and had a face the shape of a cinderblock, but meaner. In spite of his looks he held out a cigarette to me.

No thank you.

He shrugged and pocketed it. I noticed his men giving me suspicious glares as I continued the work of unloading, but whenever they seemed about to say something, theyd catch themselves and look at the smoking man.

Something go down recently? I asked.

Yes.

Listen, Im going to be traveling around here and making deliveries. Any chance I could get some more information?

The man took a long inhale from his cigarette and blew it into the air. Raiders. Bout thirty of them. A few of them had some kind of weapon I aint seen before. It was like it was shooting pure heat. Burned holes in people, buildings. They rounded up everyone left outside and carted them up north. Not sure exactly where to. I would avoid that whole area if I were you.

When he was good and scared I placed a hand on his shoulder.

He jumped, What the fuck!? Who's there!?

I slowly brought my mouth next to his ear. Me.

He shook the chair, trying to get away, but all he managed to do was fall over.

What the fuck do you want? His voice came out harsh, but I could hear the little twinge of terror in his voice.

I lifted him, chair and all and sat it back up. Answers.

Fuck you!

I jammed my finger into the bulletwound and twisted it.

He screamed, a little higher pitched than I expected, and once he was done he spat in the direction he thought I was. I walked behind him and drew the cloth Id hung up to let some light in. I walked around to face him. I removed my mask and goggles. It felt nice not to hide my face.

His eyes widened and a stain spread down his legs.

I brought my face close to his and he jerked back, almost falling over again.

Give me answers and Ill let you live.

He gave a trembling nod.

How many of you are there? Where is the rest of your group? How many people have you taken? What are the strange weapons you're using?

Theres uh, I dont know thirty, forty of us? Everyones up in Porto. Weve taken, like two dozen? Maybe more. I, I dont know what the weapons are, Jase found them. Only lets a few people touch em.

Did you kill the Marshall?

Marshall? The guy with the badge? We shot him, but he ran into a deadzone before we could finish him off.

Hmm. I frowned. I was hoping for more information on their weapons, but it was better than nothing.

Can I Can I go?

No. I took my machete and slammed it into his skull. No reason to waste a bullet.