Chapter 153 - 153

Words : 1286 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Adam left the room, his head still swimming about his choices when he ran into Deccanus. "Ah, Adam." Deccanus said as Adam nearly bumped into him. "Oh, Deccanus hi." Adam returned within a slightly dejected tone. Deccanus stared at him for a moment. "What is on your mind? You look… distracted." He said with a softer tone than one would expect. Adam let out a deep sigh and then shook his head. "It's just… I learned some things about the mission we are doing, some things that undermine my willingness to contribute." He then looked at Deccanus and held his hand up to stop himself. "Though I wanted to see you anyway, I have left a friend over in Renaissance that I would like to collect today while I have the chance. I can tell you on the walk over." Deccanus nodded. "Very well, I shall be available to depart shortly." He said as he turned to head back to his room and get whatever he wasn't carrying, which he honestly seemed to have everything on him anyway. Adam let out a deep sigh and then set off back to his room as well to grab his things for the trek. After all, however short, the roads were still dangerous. Outside of the city Adam explained what he had learned from Madam Aquamarine to Deccanus. Deccanus was quite displeased at the mention of the shipment being chems. "I can say I agree, I find the fact we are acting on the behalf of junkies unenviable." He frowned. "So you see my problem." "Indeed." Deccanus returned. "I just can't believe we are doing work for such a moral less man." Deccanus looked at Adam confused. "No I meant simply about the chems." Deccanus said, trying to clear up his position. "Well aren't they one in the same?" "No." Deccanus returned resolutely. "I have learned many things while traveling around after my Legion fell, the most important of which is there are few leaders who lead out of kindness. Few that have the moral fortitude of my Caesar. Few who put others above themselves. That is the nature of the world. It is not strange to find our employer involved in such things, however I find it deplorable that he is involved in chem dealing. Even more so that the lady is as well. If this were the Legion…" He petered off, Adam sighed. "But shouldn't we find people to work for who are worthy of our efforts? I'm not sure how comfortable I feel doing the dirty work of someone like that." "Then don't" Deccanus returned without hesitation. "You are your own man, the path you follow is your own as well. I have my Legion teachings to guide me, you have only your heart and mind. Perhaps you wish to abandon the mission, perhaps you wish to see it through, perhaps you wish to finish it and do no more work for the man ever again. I will not make the decision for you, only you can. However I know, whatever decision you make, it will be the right one. This is the conclusion I have reached after watching you during our travels." Adam let off a soft chuckle. "That's a high pedestal you are putting me on." "It is true nonetheless" "Well thank you… I guess." Adam said not sure what to make of it. "My point is, that no matter what you decide I will back that decision." Decanus returned resolutely. Adam nodded silently for a moment and then let out a heavy exhale. "We will finish this mission. As the Madam said one way or the other the caravans would resume, whether it's us or someone else, I have some plans I will need a lot of capital for so I can't turn my nose up at the job. Especially since if I did I would never be allowed in Midway again, likely. I will just think of it as charity work." "Then it shall be so." They arrived at Renaissance not long after, the journey between The Pier and Renaissance was very short. And once Adam arrived he remembered why the location on his pip-boy looked familiar. Standing in front of him was the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. He had never actually been in the building itself but he had passed by a number of times while rerouting on his way to Second Life HQ before the world ended. The front door was completely sealed, it had metal and wood sheets over it to prevent anyone from getting inside the front windows were all sealed too. It was quite well fortified. The two of them began to circle the building but found that all the windows, doors, and entrances were completely sealed in some fashion, none looked accessible without some sort of heavy effort. And since he couldn't see the windows anyway, it was reasonable to assume behind the windows was even more scrap materials preventing entry. "Are you sure this is the right place?" Deccanus asked as they almost finished circling the building. Adam checked his pip-boy again and confirmed that this was, indeed, the right location. "Yeah, this is definitely correct." Adam said back, just as confused. As they almost reached the spot where they started they noticed some green spray painted graffiti on the side of the wall. Normally this would be unimportant and Adam would overlook it, after all graffiti was not uncommon, however it was not art but instead a message. It read: In the morning I am there to greet you In the evening I help keep you going At night would I keep you awake But too much of me is bad for you Find the answer, find the entrance. "Fuck, a riddle?" Adam said with a sigh. "Well we at least found a clue." Deccanus offered. "That's true." Adam shrugged and then studied the message for a moment. "I'm reasonably sure that the answer is either sunshine or… coffee…" He mumbled aloud and then it hit him, he checked his pip-boy and sure enough he remembered that there was a coffee shop nearby he had visited once before. Honestly, the coffee was just okay. "This may be a longshot but I may have an idea." "Well as I do not, I will follow your lead." The two men then walked away from the building towards a nearby small shopping area. Most of the buildings were destroyed, some by time some by vandals,, but one building remained; it was the coffee shop he remembered. 'Good Morning Coffee' with a little logo of a rising sun behind the words. "This has to be it right? I mean, after all it fits both answers, so…" Adam said, Deccanus just looked at him offering no words. Adam sighed and walked into the dilapidated coffee shop, finding it to be a complete mess. However as they walked around for a few minutes they eventually stumbled upon something interesting. A slightly cleaner spot on the floor. If they weren't looking for an entrance they wouldn't have spotted it. On closer examination it was separated slightly from the other flooring around it. A secret hatch, perhaps? Only one way to find out. With some effort, Deccanus using his Machete as a lever to help open up the flooring, they raised it enough to reveal a large tunnel entrance below them. Clearly made by hand, but large enough for even a brahmin to be able to walk through. Though, perhaps, a little cramped for the cow. "I guess we found it." Adam said, honestly surprised.

Chapter 153 - 153

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