Adam spent a good few hours with Salvatore after that, chatting more comfortably, swapping stories, and enjoying a good drink before both men decided to call it a night.
The next day came and Adam decided it was finally time to leave to go handle his various tasks out of the Vault. Chuck would stay at the Vault for at least another day and Salvatore was needed to escort him back so he was off the team but he asked Deccanus and Mira to join him as well as Sgt. Fyre and the new guy, Percy Black.
Deccanus and Mira he trusted to help him out in almost any scenario; Sgt. Fyre he felt deserved some time to shine. Especially since Adam felt like the long term plan was to relegate him to a support role for the Vault Guard. And finally Percy Black. His choice to bring Ranger Black along was two fold. First, he and Deccanus would need to get used to working together in the future. Adam would not always be there to mediate, it was good for Deccanus' growth. And two, Adam had yet to travel with him, it offered him a chance to get to know Percy a bit better. Maybe even get him to speak about his past a bit. Though the main reason Percy was coming along was because he asked to join Adam in his runs. He could have joined the Vault Guard, but decided that helping Adam was the best use of his time. Who was he to say no to such skilled help?
He would have brought Eve along but honestly he was not expecting a fight, he was going out to scavenge, sure, but he hoped it would be a simple matter. Besides, with these four any trouble he encountered would be easily handled. Besides, after yesterday when the Batesons were talking about opening a bar and asked Adam to secure a space for them to do so, Eve overheard the conversation and seemed quite interested. Maybe, after moving into the Vault and joining Adam on his adventures, she would end up right back where she started, as a bartender. But that was for her to decide.
However, Adam had decided to make use of an unused section of the Living Quarters on the first floor to dedicate to all the people coming to ask to open shops. It was a far cry from calling it a 'market street' but the vibe was there. With a bar, a clothier, and a general store it was already feeling more lively. 100 people may not be many when compared to his old life, but now, 100 people living in the same place was no small amount. And it really did feel like it would continue to grow, especially with the Maylord's child on the way.
So with his four allies loaded up into the APC he once more set out after over a week of sitting inside his Vitamin D deficient home.
Adam had only one place in mind to scavenge, or in this case, loot. The Theater. War had given him express permission to take everything left over at the Theater as his own to sell or use as he needed. Of course, it would have been better to go to the place right after the battle, but between Adam and everyone else' s injuries, the to-do list, and Adam's need for a break, he decided to put it off.
The trip there was relatively peaceful all things considered. The battle had ended only a week ago but already Chicago was feeling more safe. The roads were no longer littered with cultists looking for a catch or warfighters looking for someone to rob. Of course it was a matter of time until the roads fell back into a state of disarray with various groups preying on weak individuals, wasteland creatures taking up residence, and perhaps even outsiders moving in, but for now it was nice to see that Chicago could have a breath of fresh air.
Even Deccanus, who was sitting up front with Adam, was awed by the sight of the relatively safe streets, remarking that it reminded him of the safety afforded by the Legion. Adam took that as a compliment.
Despite the drive being peaceful it was not short. The Vault was not very far from nearly anywhere in Chicago, that is, of course, if the roads were clear, which they were not. Instead Adam was forced to continually make detours from the shortest path due to rubble, car pile ups, or other obstructions. However, arriving at the Theater Adam saw it in an entirely different state than when he was last here.
Before the theater was built out like a military base, with checkpoints, sandbags with emplaced weapons, snipers on roofs, and more. Now, it was barren. So barren that it reminded him of the very first time he stepped out of the Vault into the ruins of Chicago. His city, once bustling with life, became a dead husk with no one in sight. The juxtaposition was tough. Though at least in this case Adam was aiming for this. War was gone. Regardless of intentions he was putting Chicago at risk simply by being here. They were better off with him gone. So it was a welcome sight to see his base abandoned.
The group filtered out of the APC and walked towards the Theater. As Adam entered the building he noted how empty the inside felt too. The refugees were all gone, at least partly absorbed by Adam, and many of the necessities of life were stripped clean. From bedrolls to electric burners, all of it seemed to be taken. However Adam was not interested in those things, instead he was interested in the goldmine of weapons that he saw when he came to meet War.
Opening the doors to the theater room itself he was met with the same impressive sight as last time, rows and rows of shelving and gun racks. It certainly looked like it had been picked through, many of the weapons had likely been taken with them when War's Army marched out to fight the cult. However no one had seemed to have picked through this place since then. Or, if they did, it was not in any significant quantity that would make a difference.
Percy let off a whistle.
"Well I'll be, seems that big 'ol bastard was hiding quite the armory." Percy said, impressed.
"You should have seen it back when it was full." Adam said as he casually took a rifle off the gun rack and checked it over. "Now this place feels empty in comparison."
"I ain't doubting ya." Percy said as he too checked out a gun. "Just impressed is all. Takes an army to have such a big armory."
"It was an army." Deccanus said with a steady tone. "Though it fought not for country, but ideals."
"I know the type. Like the Followers of the Apocalypse." Percy said with a small smile to Deccanus. Deccanus looked back at him and frowned. There definitely seemed to be some deeper subtext to what Percy just said, but whatever it was it went over Adam's head. It was safe to assume it had to do with one of their former countries though.
"Alright Percy." Adam said as he gently put the rifle back on the rack and turned to look at him. Deciding to interrupt whatever sort of conversation the two men were having before it blew up. "Obviously we are going to take everything found in here but im sure there must be some other things left around the building, if you wanna go around and-" Adam began before Percy cut in.
"Actually, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a quick tour around the place to make sure there aren't any nasty surprises left behind." He grinned and winked. "You never know with places like these." Adam shrugged.
"That's fine, once you feel it's safe, come help out."
"Roger that, sir." Percy said as he spun around on his heels and started heading out of the room with a casual indifference. Deccanus seemed to sigh quietly and stealthily to himself before he joined Adam, Mira, and Sgt. Fyre in looting the building.