by M. P. Pubs
"These people would like to see Dr. Li." Mei Wong said.
"I'm sorry, but Dr. Li asked not to be disturbed." the Officer replied.
"Please, it's very important." Marcus pleaded.
"Like I said: the doctor does not want to be disturbed. You'll have to come back another time."
Marcus stared into the eyes of the security officer. There was no way this guy was going to let him in, and since he didn't want to be thrown off the ship..."Alright, thanks." Marcus turned, disappointed.
"I'm sorry." Mei Wong said. "Why don't I show all of you to the market place where you can wait a while. They've got a few shops and a great restaurant named 'Gary's Galley'."
Marcus took a deep breath as he pushed down his frustration. "Sounds good."
* * *
The Rivet City Market was located in one of the ship's massive hangar bays. The citizens called it a Market Place, but it was more like an old world shopping mall. There were stores and shops of all kinds selling everything from cloths, medicine, alcohol, weapons, antiques, even old world music players. In the center of all of this were tables and chairs, and just to the right was Gary's Galley. As Marcus took in the scene, he couldn't believe that a city like this could function out here in the wasteland. Outside these steel walls was hell on earth, but in here people were actually - living. Not just trying to survive and get through the day, but really living. It gave Marcus hope that maybe, just maybe he and his father could have a normal life in the world.
"So where do you want to start, suga?" Clover asked.
A gun shop called Flax n' Shrapnel's caught his eye. "Charon and I will try the gun store first; see if we can get a good price on these weapons."
Clover already had her eye on a clothing store named Potomac Attire. "Okay, I'll be looking for something sexy to wear." She gave Marcus a kiss on the cheek and ran off.
Charon grunted. "That girl is a nymph."
Marcus looked at the ghoul. "A what?"
"Never mind." Just like that, the conversation was over and the two companions walked up to the counter of Flak n' Shrapnel's. A tall man with a mustache and wearing a black vest greeted them. "Welcome to Flak n' Shrapnel's gun shop, I'm Flak. Are you here to buy, sell or trade?"
"Well that depends," Marcus said, "can we see what you have?"
"Sure, take a look around."
Marcus and Charon began examining the impressive gun collection. There were many great weapons such as marksmen carbines, SAW's, grenade launchers - even RPG's that Marcus knew they could not afford. He spotted a case of about two-hundred .50 caliber rounds that he could use for his truck's machine gun. Marcus made his way over to the pistols and spotted the largest, most beautiful handgun he had ever seen. "What is this?" he asked as he picked it up.
"That my friend is a desert eagle," said Flak, "the powerful handgun in the world. She's semi-automatic and fires .50 caliber rounds. She's the greatest hand cannon."
Marcus examined the nickle-plated handgun with wonder. This would stop Super Mutants dead in their tracks, he thought. "Will you take a trade?"
Flak shrugged. "Depends on what you got."
Marcus placed the captured minigun on the counter. Flak examined the weapon and frowned. "If this was in better shape I'd do it, but at best I'll have to refurbish this. At worst I'll have to use it for spare parts. You got anything else?"
Marcus handed him the hunting rifle. "There you go: two guns for one. Sounds fair to me."
Flak cycled the hunting rifle and shook his head. "Sorry kid, but hunting rifles are a dime a dozen."
Marcus cursed under his breath. He could feel that beautiful desert eagle slipping away.
"Tell you what kid, I like you so I'll make you a deal: throw in that .44 magnum and the pistol's yours."
Marcus looked down at his .44, then back to the desert eagle and decided to go for broke. "Tell you what; I'll throw in the.44, all of the ammo for the guns, and you throw in that case of .50 cal rounds over there."
Flak thought about if for a moment before a smile appeared on his face. "It's a deal, kid."
The two men shook hands and made the exchange. Flak was so gracious he even threw in a holster and two magazines for the gun. "Say kid, before you go I have something you might be interested in." Flak reached underneath the counter and pulled out a box of blue jacketed shotgun shells. "These slugs are made of a special metal called tungsten. This stuff will go through any body armor; even power armor. You can do some serious kill'in with these."
Both Marcus and Charon examined the ammunition. "How much?" Marcus asked.
"Fifty caps each."
Marcus whistled. "Fifty caps a bullet?"
Flak nodded. "Hey these rounds are hard to come by. It's not like there are large supplies of tungsten out there. So, interested?"
Both Marcus and Charon placed the slugs back in the box. "Sorry, it's tow rich for our blood. Maybe next time."
Flak closed the box and placed it back under the counter. "Okay kid, if you need more ammo this is the place to get it."
Marcus holstered his new pistol and strapped it to his belt. It was heavier than Eulogy's .44, but he didn't care. As he and Charon headed for the food court, he noticed Clover holding a rather revealing dress to her body as she admired herself in a mirror. She spotted him gazing at her and she struck a little pose for him. Marcus smiled and nodded, and Clover took the dress up to the counter. As they entered Gary's Galley, Marcus spotted Harkness and two of his security guards sitting at a table eating. 'I didn't think an android could eat' he thought as they approached the table. "Excuse me, Chief."
Harkness looked up from his Brahmin steak and let out an annoyed tone. "Yes? Something I can help you with?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you Chief but I was wondering if you could help get me into the science lab to see Dr. Li?"
Harkness shook his head. "I'm sorry kid, but I have more important things to do then to schedule appointments. Dr. Li will see you when she's ready."
Just as Marcus was about to walk away in defeat, a woman named Angela Staley walked up to the table and handed Harkness a beer. "I didn't order this." He told her.
Angela pointed to a table at the other end of the Market. "It's from that guy over there, Chief."
With his advanced optics, Harkness was able to zoom in on the table Angela had pointed to. An older man wearing glasses and a business suit was sitting alone, and Harkness' internal warning system went to red alert. "I don't believe it!" he growled. "Zimmer!"
Marcus immediately saw the shock on Angela and the two security guard's faces. "Oh my God Chief I'm sorry," Angela cried, "I didn't realize..."
"It's alright." Harkness stood up. "I'll handle this." He stormed off with his guards following. Marcus approached Angela. "Excuse me, who si this Zimmer?"
"He's the one who built Harkness at the Common Wealth. Six months ago he showed up with some goons and tried to take Harkness back, but we threw them off the boat - litterly."
Marcus looked back at the Chief as he approached Zimmer, and his curiosity was definitely peaked.
"I know that look." Charon said with alarm. "I think we should stay out of this."
Marcus tried to look innocent. "I'm just a little curious, Charon."
"That's how it starts." Charon countered.
Marcus smiled. "You gotta learn to live a little, Charon."
"It's hard to live a little when you're dead."
Marcus sighed. "Just go get Clover and meet me down there, okay?"
Reluctantly the ghoul headed towards the clothing shop, while Marcus made his way over to Flak n' Shrapnel's store, which was near the area where Zimmer was sitting.
"Ah, good morning Chief." Doctor Zimmer said. "I hope you enjoyed your drink."
Harkness placed both hands on the table and was only inches from Zimmer. "What the hell are you doing on my boat, Zimmer?"
"I've come to ask you one more time to come back with me, A3-21."
Harkness slammed his fist
on the table, startling everyone nearby. "That is not my name! My name is Harkness, and you will address me as Chief Harkness!"
Zimmer looked down at his drink. "Yes I know: you gave yourself a name. This is just more evidence that you are malfunctioning. Come back with me, and we can fix you."
By now Charon and Clover had joined Marcus in front of Flak and Shrapnel's. They couldn't hear everything that was being said, but you could cut the tension in the room with knife.
"For the last time Zimmer, I'm not going back. I have evolved; it's not a malfunction. Now you have ten seconds to get off my ship before I throw you off - again!"
Zimmer sighed. "Yes my swim last time was very unpleasant. So I guess you leave me no choice."
Harkness didn't notice the rather large wastelander to his left until he raised a pulse pistol and fired. The blast was not enough to shut him down completely, but it scrambled his circuits to the point where he couldn't move. The two security guards raised their rifles, but were ambushed from behind by two more wastelanders: an African-American male and a slender blonde woman. The male grabbed a guard and slammed his head into the table, breaking both of them. The woman grabbed the other guard's head and snapped his neck with a violent jerk. A good Samaritan charged the woman in an attempt to help their Chief, but he as knocked unconscious by a vicious cloths-line. Zimmer stood up. "Quickly, open his chest plate and remove his power source!"
The first attacker approached the front of Harkness and began cutting away his combat armor. Marcus decided that the time for standing around was over. He heard Charon let out a groan as he drew his newly purchased desert eagle. "Hey asshole!" he yelled.
The large wastelander stopped what he was doing and turned to his taunter. Marcus fired a single round that struck the man in the left side of his face, but instead of it being blow to pieces, the man stumbled back and placed his hand over the wound.
'What the fuck!' Marcus thought. The man stood up straight and removed the hand from his face - revealing a shiny metal endoskeleton; the skin that covered it having been obliterated by the .50 caliber round.
"Holy shit!" Marcus gasped as he fired more rounds into the android's torso, pushing him back. Charon opened fire on the other male with his shotgun, and Clover went full auto with her assault rifle and fired into the chest of the female. The androids staggered and were pushed back by the sustained gunfire, until finally all three were lying flat on their backs. Marcus, Charon and Clover relaxed their stance and checked their weapons; which were all empty.
"Wow!" Marcus said. "Now I've seen every..."
His heart stopped as all three androids sat up straight, and stared at them with blank, emotionless eyes. Zimmer let out a confident laugh. "As you can see: nothing can stop our Hunters."
Marcus watched as the machines, or Hunters as they were apparently called, slowly stood up. "Ruuunnn!" he screamed as he and his companions dove behind the counter of Flak n' Shrapnel's store. The androids each drew a 10mm submachine gun and unleashed a barrage, peppering the area with bullets.
"Fuck!" Marcus cursed as the store was being ripped apart. 'Where the hell is John Connor when you need'em?', he thought.
"Don't worry about them!" Zimmer screamed. "Get A3-21!"
In that moment, Harkness had regained control of his systems and his eyes shot open. He quickly zeroed in on the closest Hunter to his right, and after disarming him, delivered a punch to the chest so hard that the African-American Hunter was sent across the market and slammed into the steel wall. The impact was so hard it left and indentation in the wall. The other two Hunters turned their attention back to their main target and attacked. Flak crawled over to Marcus and handed him a box of shotgun shells. "Hey kid! Tungsten rounds!"
Marcus quickly drew his shotgun and loaded the rounds, then passed the box to Charon. "Load these and get ready!"
Charon nodded and began loading his empty ammo drum. By now both male Hunters had Harkness by his arms, and they held him in place as the female began now cutting away the skin that covered his chest.
"Hurry, hurry!" said an impatient Zimmer. "Get his power source!"
Charon finished loading the rounds. "Ready."
Marcus took and deep breath, prayed that what Flak boasted about the rounds was true, and stood up. Using his VATS, he targeted the female's left arm and fired, severing it just below the elbow. Sparks flew out of the androids stump, and for a moment Marcus thought he saw a look of horror on it's face. He fired his second round, blowing the head of the android clean off. One of the male Hunters released his hold on Harkness to meet this new threat, and Charon put three rounds into it's torso. Sparks flew and red hydraulic fluid spilled out of holes, and the machine was sent down on one knee. Charon fied a fourth round that blew apart the android's face, putting him down for good. Harkness broke the hold the large android had on him, and tossed the Hunter twenty feet in the air and across the Market. The Hunter landed flat on it's back with a load thud. Harkness covered the same distance with a single leap, and planted both feet onto the Hunter's chest. The sound was so load people thought for a moment that a bomb had gone off. The Hunter's chest plate had been caved in, and the android was bearly functioning. Harkness reached down and twisted the machine's head 360 degrees and ripped it from it's body. Sparks and smoke poured out of the dead android's neck, and Harkness tossed the head aside. "Piece of tin!" he growled.
Marcus finally released the breath he had been holding in and looked at the carnage. Slavers, Super Mutants, feral ghouls, giant ants, crazed cannibals, and now killer cyborgs. What else was this wasteland going to throw at him, he thought. The should of security officers charging into the Market caused everyone to freeze. Up on the catwalk, a squad of Rivet City's militia took up firing positions, and were led by a woman carrying the biggest rifle Marcus had ever seen. "Put down your weapons, now!" she ordered as she took aim with her .50 caliber Barrett.
Harkness raised his hands. "Commander Hill stand down, these people are friendly's!"
Commander Hill lowered her Barrett. "Everyone stand down." The rest of the security officers followed.
Zimmer was on is knees crawling towards the Market's exit, trying to be as quiet as possible. He was reaching for the door's handle when he felt the cold steel of a blade on his throat, and he froze. He slowly looked up and was staring at a blonde haired woman wearing a slave collar and holding a Chinese officer's sword. The woman grinned. "Going somewhere, honey?"
Harkness walked up to Marcus and Charon and shook their hands. "Thank you both for your help. I am in your debt."
Marcus nodded. "Glad we could help, but we couldn't have done it without Flak's tungsten rounds." They turned and spotted the shop owner standing in his bullet-riddled shop. "We'll pay you back for the shells we use."
Flak raised his hands. "As far as I'm concerned you can have the whole damn case! It's the least we can do for saving the Chief."
Marcus was not expecting that and he appreciated the gesture. "Thank you."
Harkness addressed the shop owner. "Well staring right now Flak I wan you and Shrapnel to requisition as many of those tungsten rounds as you can in all calibers." He walked over and kicked one of the dead androids. "I have a feeling the Common Wealth will be sending more of these."
A smile crossed Flak's face as he thought about the caps he was going to rake in. 'I'll get right on it, Chief."
Harkness looked around. "Now, where is that worm Zimmer?"
"Over here, honey."
They turned and saw Clover holding Zimmer by his collar, and the point of her sword was on his neck. Harkness clenched his fist and walked towards him.
"Now, now A3...I mean, Chief Harkness."
Harkness wrapped his right hand around Zimmer's throat and hoisted him off the ground. The doctor grabbed Harkness' wrist with both hands and struggled for air. "More...will come! They will...not...stop!"
"I know." Harkness twisted Zimmer's head to the left and snapped his neck. The doctor's lifeless body hit t
he deck with a thud, and Harkness stared coldly at the corpse. "And I'll be waiting for them."
* * *
After the battle in the Market, the militia's corpsmen placed bandages on Harkness' chest and face. The Chief explained to Marcus that his biological covering was just like human tissue, and it would heal over time. Luckily there had been no internal damage to his systems, since that would require Doctor Li and her team to conduct repairs. Harkness led Marcus and his companions into the science lab to meet with Dr. Li. It was, as the Chief put it, the least he could do for them. The science lab was ten times bigger then the one his father worked in in Vault 101, and several scientist and aides were working on various experiments and research. Chief Harkness walked up to an Asian female who looked to be in her mid 40's.
"Doctor Li," Harkness began, "I would like you to meet..."
Doctor Li turned around and interrupted him. "Look, this is a restricted area. I'm tired of telling you people... I... It's you. My heavens, you look so much like him... You're James' son, aren't you? What are you doing here?"
Marcus was stunned. "You know my father? Have you seen him?"
Dr. Li crossed her arms. "Well yes, of course I do. Don't you know who I am? I suppose James never told you. Typical. I am Doctor Madison Li. I worked with your father many years ago. Your mother as well, in fact. He was here, yes. It was quite a shock to see him after so many years. I'm afraid he's gone now. For that matter, aren't you supposed to be in a Vault? James said he left you there."