Adam sat up front alone with Salvatore. He considered offering Milla to sit up front too but figured she would appreciate remaining with Jack and the others in the back to mourn amongst themselves.
The trip to The Pier was rather quiet and peaceful. Salvatore napped in the seat next to him and Adam listened to Ray's Radio on the trip. Ray was detailing some current events, some of which Adam was involved in, some of which he was not. But the interesting thing was that Ray was playing his interview with Adam a second time. He had already listened to it with the others as he was leaving The Tower, however it seemed that Ray wanted to play it again, now with his own commentary on top of it. It was incredibly weird hearing his own voice on the radio. Not least of all because that did not sound like his voice. He had a much deeper voice than that, right? Either way now that he was listening in analyzing his own conversation he felt embarrassed by the number of flubs he made, either incorrect facts or simple English slip-ups.
Once they arrived at The Pier Adam helped get the bodies out of the APC and was prepared to just turn around and leave, after all he left his friends at the factory alone, but before he could go he was approached by Milla.
"Hey, Adam." She began, walking over to him after ensuring the bodies made it back inside the walls of the settlement. "I wanted to thank you for the help…" She paused and looked off to the side at Jack who was being helped inside himself, heading to the settlement doctor for some medical attention for his wounds. "This life we lead… It's tough sometimes. We lose a lot of people we care about. Bastards are everywhere, monsters that want us dead…" She looked back at Adam. "But it's good to know that we are not alone." Adam offered her a warm smile.
"I like people, Milla. I like helping people and I believe, honestly, that the world will become a better place if we help each other out. I like paying karma forward, even if it never comes back around to me." Milla nodded.
"I'll remember that about you. You are a good man Adam, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She said before turning around to head inside.
Once more Adam turned to his APC and Salvatore, ready to leave, but was stopped by another Hunter who was not on the mission with him walking up looking like he too had something to say.
"Excuse me, Adam?" He asked, tentatively.
"Yes?" Adam turned around again, looking at him now.
"The Madame would like to speak with you." Adam paused and sighed.
"I'm sorta on a time table..." Adam said the tiniest bit annoyed.
"I'm just uh… relaying the message, sorry." The hunter apologized. Adam sighed again and then looked at Salvatore who just shrugged.
"Alright I can spare a bit."
"Okay, follow me." He said, gesturing for Adam to follow as he then headed inside through the gate.
"Looks like we will be here for more than a minute." Adam joked to Salvatore.
"People love to gab, kid. Never expect anything less."
Adam headed inside the 'palace' and right to the same place where Madame Aquamarine was always waiting. As expected she was there, laying down, smoking. Did she ever do any real work? She ran the settlement so she must do something.
"Madame." Adam said politely as he nodded to her as he entered.
"Oh Adam~." She said with an overtly flirty tone as she seductively waved her hand, gesturing for Adam to take a seat on his usual pillow. Adam did as asked and then she turned her attention to Salvatore.
"You are a new face~ you smoke?" She asked with a sly grin.
"If you ain't charging me, then I do, yeah."
"I never charge my guests." She said as she gestured for him to sit down and then handed him a hookah which Salvatore gladly began to imbibe in. Madame Aquamarine giggled a bit.
"First the straight edge and then the super mutant. Glad to know you do keep more company than just that. I like this one~" Aquamarine teased with a wink.
"He was actually my first companion, he just wasn't around at the time when I met you."
"Well now I know you don't mind smokers, that means I have a chance~." She said with a seductive smile. Adam let off a slightly awkward smile and then coughed into his hand, indicating he was ready to change topics.
"You wanted to see me about something?" Adam asked, trying to steer the conversation away to something more productive, especially since he was wanting to get back to the others.
Madame Aquamarine's whole demeanor changed and she looked at Adam with deep pity.
"Oh you poor sweet man." She said as she stood up and then walked over, draping her arms over Adams shoulders almost bringing him into a hug. Her loose fitting clothing revealed a bit too much for Adam's comfort at the moment so he focused on her face. "You must be so distraught by the oh so very uncomfortable rumors circulating around about you being a clone in Midway." She said with a tone that bled sympathy.
Adam was completely caught off guard. This was not at all what he expected of her. It felt planned, judging by the speed at which she changed tones, but it was almost tender.
"I uh…" Adam stuttered, caught off guard.
"Didn't know you and her were like that, kid." Salvatore said, shit eating grin on his face as he very clearly teased Adam.
"We're not." Adam shot back. And then sighed. Madame Aquamarine slowly pulled off Adam. And smiled at him sadly.
"Word has spread pretty quickly, no doubt because of that man's network. But I just want you to know I don't discriminate here, either ghoul, super mutant, or clone…" She said, glancing at Salvatore, her mutant guards, and then Adam in turn. She then gently put a hand on Adam's cheek. "Just remember not everyone is like that snake." Adam let off a sigh and then looked her in the eye.
"I appreciate it. Thank you, Madame." Adam said back softly.
"Anytime." She said as she stood up to go sit back down in her chair. "I just want you to know that here, in my settlement, we welcome you as the hero you are, regardless of whatever sort of upbringing you have." She smiled. Adam just nodded slowly at her.
"It's good to know that there are people that can look past the title of clone." Adam smiled back. Of course she was not the first to not care that he was a clone, even in Midway there were more people that still appreciated him than not. However considering she was actively being nice he had no reason to mention that.
It was clear she was trying to butter him up, get him on her side, making use of the disconnect between him and Mr. Cantelli that just formed. He knew it was a manipulation tactic, but honestly, he saw no reason not to accept the offer. Mr. Cantelli was socially fighting him so he had no reason not to choose sides. At least a bit.
"Well aside from that I wanted to thank you for your efforts with handling the little cultists." She smiled, honey dripping from her words.
"Well you did make an enticing offer." Adam chuckled.
"I'm glad you see it that way. I'll make sure to send caravans directly to your little vault from time to time, in addition to adding them to the route of the larger caravans."
"Thank you Madame Aquamarine."
"Well I won't take any more of your time. I know you are a busy man, after all~" She smiled. "But before you go…" She snapped her fingers and Cheshire, her aide, came out of the side room holding a large medical bag. "These are a gift. From me." She smiled as it was handed over. Adam opened the bag and saw Med-X, Stimpacks, Rad-Away, Rad-X, and several other things Adam didn't recognize, though clearly none of them were the sort of bad drugs Adam would be unhappy with. All of it was medical drugs.
"Perks of being friends with a chemist~" She winked.
"Thank you, Madame."
"Alright, you can go now, I won't hold you any longer."