[@Dephyus]

A devious smile crept across Don's face as his traveling companion revealed two vials from the plastic bag.  A miracle potion.  There was more than one way to survive in this world wide Hellscape.  Some robbed by knifepoint, others stole food and women in the night.  Yet, there were a select few who could see above the daily struggle for existence.  For those who knew the wishes and desires of their quarry, the hunt was always bountiful.  To prey upon their fantasies, to create a new reality. To thrive at the sake of the stupid and naive.

[color=0072bc]"Riiight..." Don stood and moved towards the donkey, rummaging around in compartments of various cloth sacks in search of his wardrobe.  "A miracle potion, I like the sound of that!  Worked on those fools back West, can't see these folks being much different."[/color]

Having located the small suede bag containing his formal attire, Don proceeded to disrobe.  The fact that he was out in the middle of the road, or in plain view of Eddie mattered very little.  With the mutated coyotes stalking the surrounding woodlands, the carnivorous ants (which luckily were becoming less populous as the temperature continued to drop) or the hordes of roving bandits who would soon look at you as kill you, nudity just didn't seem like a big deal.

Discarding his torn and bloody travel clothing on the roadside, Don removed a vacuum sealed clear plastic bag, containing black slacks and spotless white dress shirt.  Don began to change into his dress garb and continued: 

[color=0072bc]"OK, I'm cookin' up somethin' we can work with here...  Check it, here's the deal.  We're both scientists.  We found out we can use nuclear radiation to make a kind of cancer that actually heals cells, instead of hurt them.  Our lab got raided by bandits, so we came to this town for protection to finish our research."[/color]

By this point, Don was fully dressed in the pair of black slacks and pressed white oxford.  He rounded the mule and ran his hand around the rim of the 20 gallon water tank attached via wagon to the mule's harness.  Using the residual moisture, Don wet his face and wiped the grime of the long journey from his sun kissed cheeks, letting the cool breeze dry the beads of water from his brow.  With his pristine clothing, silken hair and golden skin, Don radiated an otherworldly picture of healthiness.

[color=0072bc]"We show 'em how the potion has been working so good on me, they give us a room with a lock and key when we promise them we will give them a vial when we finish.  They give us food, they give us booze, because this miracle potion just became their new God.  We get our tools, I fix this solar panel, and we're outta here before the fools wake.  Or, you know, if things go good, we ride it out here in town.  Stay for a couple weeks, get drunk, get laid."[/color]

Don tugged at his collar.  This was a new shirt.  Straight from the factory.  Uncomfortable.  Not sure why people wore this stuff in the Before Times.  Repacking the mule, Don pulled from another bag his 9mm and tucked it firmly into his waistband.  His machete, however, he left upon the mule, safely out of sight.

[color=0072bc]"Then again.  Maybe things don't go so good.  Maybe the Town Guard comes down on us.  Maybe one of the townies doubts the story.  Plan B, grab that fucker by the throat, drag him into the bushes, and carve yourself a trophy.  I don't think it will come to that.... but it has before, so I don't doubt it could well happen again."[/color]

Don again turned towards the settlement.  This oasis in the waste could be exactly what they needed.  And as his father oft repeated in his boyhood: [color=0072bc]"Where there is risk... there's reward.  What you think?"[/color]