"Good to see you again, lad!" Arden said, hand extended for a handshake as he approached Adam. Adam readily shook it.
"Good to see you too Arden!" Adam smiled. "I hear that you guys are really making this place a home."
"Ah yeah, she is doing us just fine, lad." He said as he gently patted the side of the building with his hand. "A little TLC, a little elbow grease, and she was right as rain."
"Im glad the Federal Ration Stockpile is serving you well! I knew when I first came here it was a solid place but even when I was bringing you all over I knew you'd have your work cut out for you. Still, it's nice to see it being used. I even heard you guys have set up some very interesting anti intruder measures." Adam smirked.
"Ah yeah, it was 'ol Sally's idea." He said, probably referring to Salvatore, though no doubt he hated the nickname. "There were already some barrels here and there were more nearby. Just needed to grab them and place them where we wanted. Sorry you can't come downstairs and see what we have built. It's a nice sight. But we left the first floor radiation free just for humans like you. Come along, I'll show you what little I can!" He said happily. Adam smiled and followed after him, heading inside.
As soon as Adam entered it was clear they had put a lot of effort in, they had completely overhauled the entrance room adding a large rug that covered most of the floor and a number of couches and chairs no doubt scavenged from another building nearby. A bookshelf with various board games and books was on display and overall it really felt like the space had been converted into a communal living room for guests and residents alike. There was even a coffee machine, turned off, in the corner on a table with some mugs stacked next to it. Far more inviting than the super mutant hellhole this place once was.
"For starters we have started calling this place Safe Haven. After all, the Federal Ration Stockpile was a bit of a mouthful, doncha think?" Arden grinned. "Anyway the entire first floor was set up with all the amenities a human merchant visitor might need in case they stay for longer than a short visit. Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, and out back we even have a trough for brahmin to eat and drink from." He laughed.
"Wow, all this and for a part just for visitors?"
"Its important to show people that may come that we are not savages. We may be ghouls but we are as thoughtful as anyone else." He chuckled.
"Have you had many visitors?"
"One or two, word is still spreading. It will take time for us to really establish ourselves as a new settlement. These sorts of things don't just happen over night. But we've already had more than one ghoul looking for a new home move in with us."
"So is this a ghoul only settlement then?" Adam asked. Arden stopped walking and paused.
"Well…" He began, hesitantly. "The answer to your question is complicated but to be short about it no. However everyone here, for one reason or another, has had issues with smoothskins in the past, that's why we bothered to set up a community of our own in the first place." He sighed. "However none of us are so heartless to deny a human who wants to move in. But the radiation has already started to leak into every room downstairs, it's simply not safe for non ghouls here." He paused. "That is why we took the effort to make the ground floor safe and radiation free. Maybe our homes are unavailable but that doesn't mean we won't welcome new faces in. Smooth or otherwise." Adam nodded along, in understanding.
"Have you guys been okay with making enough money to sustain yourselves? I assume you aren't growing food yet since the farm was just started so you need to buy food, yes?"
"Well you and your friends had left quite a sizable amount of food here, on the first floor. Not enough to live on indefinitely, mind you, but enough for our worries to be pushed off for the time being. However we have taken to scavenging scrap from the local area around us. None too far, mind you. But there is a lot of reusable metal in the surrounding area that we can resell at Midway. We get by alright." He smiled.
"Well then, are you guys interested in buying some guns?" Adam asked as the tour ended where it started, at the entrance, after talking with Arden the entire time and being shown the few rooms that were human safe.
"You brought weapons?" Arden asked.
"I recently fought with War to defeat the Cult, we secured a lot of arms from the fight. Not to mention the ones War left behind." Adam grinned and then brought over Arden to the APC and opened up the back, revealing his haul, now much smaller after having sold so many until now. Arden looked at the guns, opened his mouth, closed it, and then turned to Adam to speak.
"I'll get Cheryl." He said before turning to quickly go inside.
Despite the Federal Ration Stockpile being full of guns when Adam went there, he had taken almost all of them out to sell in Midway. As such when the ghouls moved into Safe Haven while there were a few guns left behind, it was not nearly enough to fully arm the settlement. And considering before they were living on a highway, rather destitute, they did not have many guns and ammo to begin with. So they were eager to buy up Adam's stock.
Though they did not have that much money, they scrounged together 1800 caps for Adam. It was much less than he had made at any settlement up till now but Adam felt a sense of responsibility for these people. At least some. So he cut them a deal and handed over more guns and ammo than he realistically should have for that sum. Split 5 ways everyone got 360 caps. This time he did not put any extra aside for the Vault. Not necessary.
Safe Haven did actually have a small hotel. Or rather a set of bedrooms that visitors could rent for a fee however it was still early in the day and Adam wanted to hit Midway before it got late. Judging by the time of day he was likely going to need to spend the night at Midway or make the trip back home in the APC at night. He could cross that bridge when he got to it. For now he was satisfied with his visit to Safe haven, glad to see it thriving.
As Adam hopped into the APC he was joined by Percy up front. Not that strange, the three of them had been cycling through who was in the back and who was up front. No doubt the most awkward combination was when Deccanus and Percy were in the back alone, but they were only one door away and Deccanus had been making more and more attempts to be casual with Percy. Percy himself was a very casual and friendly guy so it probably was fine. However as Adam turned on the engine and got moving to Midway, which really was not all too far from Safe Haven, Percy got a serious look on his face. He had an expression that made Adam feel like he had something important to say but was not sure if he should. Adam was considering if he should ask about it or not when Percy seemed to make up his mind and turned to look at Adam on his own volition.
"Adam, mind having a chat?" he began.
"Yeah, Percy. What's up?" Adam asked back, casually.
"You asked me before why I came with you. I said we were the same kinda man, same kinda crazy." He paused. "I think… It's about time I stop keeping you in the dark."