[u][b]Steve Miller - Outside the Last Plank[/b][/u]

Easing through the door, Steve caught sight of Rose heading away and followed her at a discreet distance. He could tell by her body language and the way she would start when she came across one of the harbormen that she was badly frightened. He knew little of what went on in the Commonwealth, but he had heard a little over the years....if these androids, or synths as Rose called them, were like Harkness, then she was right to be scared...Harkness was the toughest SOB he'd ever met. 

Walking down the street, Steve noticed the giant boiler that was being used to cook a Mirelurk whole. Its size, and sturdy construction made wheels turn in his head. 

"Perhaps", Steve thought, "that could be converted into a weapon against the mutated creatures the cult commanded". He knew full well what scalding hot steam and water was capable of...he'd seen men die, or wish they were dead, from it's effects...perhaps it would work on them. He couldn't imagine how any living creature could tolerate being doused with scalding hot water for very long, instinct should force it to flee immediately. He made a mental note to bring it up with Corrine if he hadn't burned his bridges with her. He should have given more thought to what he said, but he found it hard to be patient with such stubbornness. Didn't they see they needed every gun they could muster for whatever was coming tomorrow? 

Steve showed that thought aside for the moment and kept focused on the task at hand. Near the end of the dock he could see that merc from the bar talking to another man. Rose maneuvered to avoid them and dodged between some buildings. Steve followed, and saw that they had come to the Hull. Steve managed to duck out of her sight as Rose looked around. Satisfied no-one was watching, she vaulted over the wall. Steve approached, seeing her darting off into the mist. He noted the spot she had picked was close enough to the ground so that one could get back up...a dangerous oversight. committing the location to memory, he looked around. The coast was clear, so he went over after her. Pausing to pull his .45 revolver, he checked to make sure the cylinder was loaded and then quietly as he could went after her. Fortunately, the fog was relatively thin, so he was able to catch sight of her fairly quickly. She made for a old boarded up gift shop, moved a old board aside then crawled in and put it back into position behind her. 

The fog drifting around the derelict buildings really began to creep him out, not to mention the odd warm feeling that came and went as he moved between patches of fog, but he chanced it and approached the building. From inside, he faintly heard the hissing and squealing of what had to be a radio of some kind over the annoying buzzing in his ears. 

"Mercer Safehouse. Come in Mercer..." he heard Rose plead, "Goddammit come in. I need help!" 

The woman was clearly terrified. Enough so that he questioned the wisdom of contacting her here, or at least alone. He guessed she would stay here a while, trying to raise help from her friends, and give him time to see if Corrine would help or not. He had no idea what he was going to do if she wasn't there...near as he could tell she was the only resident of the town likely to hear him out. He decided he had better go back. Retracing his steps, he returned to the low spot at the Hull. after carefully listening, and not hearing anyone, he holstered his revolver and jumped up, getting a purchase on the top of the makeshift wall and pulling himself up until he could get an elbow over the wall. Thankfully, no sentry was in sight. Steve then threw a leg over the wall and hoisted himself over. No alarm having been raised, Steve dusted himself off and walked back into town, coming out a past different building and crossing the street and heading for the path to where he hoped Corrine was waiting for him. Heading past the old gun shop, then up the stairs, where he found Corrine, pensively, waiting there for him.

"I knew you'd come", Steve said with great relief, looking around to make sure they were alone. Once satisfied, he turned to her. "I promised I'd explain, so here goes. Back in the Capital Wasteland, I grew up in a settlement called Rivet City, as I told you. About ten years ago, before I left something happened....."

Steve then quickly explained to Corrine his story about Harkness, the security chief of Rivet City, and the story Butch had told him about Harkness's secret...something he had never told anyone else before. 

"You see, Corrine", Steve concluded, "Harkness lived among us for years, and no-body suspected him of being a "android", or "synth", or whatever. I certainly didn't. If he could fool us, one of them could fool you harbor-folk, too. Whoever killed Bishop is not a friend to this town, and we can't wish them away. We also cannot be sure they will stop with Rose, either. And however you cut it, letting this killer roam free weakens this town..in fact, it already has. When the Cult comes we're going to need every last man, woman, or child who can handle a gun if we want to make it. Bishop could have helped...but he's dead. Rose needs out help....not only because it's the right thing to do, but because we need her as badly as she needs us." He then looked at Corrine hopefully. "What do you say?"