Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Life as a freed slave felt too...slow for Tim. It wasn’t something really worth complaining about, not after the hell he’d been through, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit antsy at the peaceful month that’s passed by. It was an irrational fear that something would happen to ruin everything nice so far.

Tim pushed that thought aside. Sev is taking care of everyone, things would be alright. Aside from Piper and Cait who’d willingly served him, their benefactor has not pressured or hinted them for any sort of payment. He genuinely wanted them to just have a healthy and happy life.

Hell, the anxiety that some felt was banished quickly when Sev was happy to bless the relationships between some of the teens and young adults. He wasn’t some raider lord looking to keep a collection of toys to play with, he really was happy for the couples, even offered to build new rooms for them to live in, and provided boxes of condoms and other related stuff ‘just in case’.

It was good for Tim to be able to share a room with Katy. They’ve been neighbours in the slave pens before this and had bonded through their ordeal. Having the healing arches remove the degrading tattoos and scars on both of them had easily helped overcome the nightmare that was their previous life, and also showed Tim just how beautiful his partner was.

Oh, he was sure he was no Sev, but Katy didn’t care. There wasn’t any competition. She chose Tim, they were happy, and Sev would look after them.

As with the other older residents, Tim and Katy took part in occasional meetings with Piper and Cait about any needs for New World 81. There was nothing anyone really needed, everyone knew how good they had it at the moment to take things for granted.

Everyone also knew the hierarchy of the place. Sev was their boss and saviour, and Piper and Cait were his girls who answered only to him, but like their man, neither bothered to flaunt their influence. Curie and Nat were next in terms of authority and importance, even if the girl was too young to be throwing her weight around just yet.

And then there was everyone else in New World 81, who usually passed on any information to Piper or Cait, who’d then bring it up with Sev, who was usually busy with various unknown projects. Again, there was really little to complain or be resentful about.

Sev spoiled his favorites, but he definitely didn’t hold back on making sure everyone else in here was as comfortable and healthy. Tim knew he couldn’t leave this place with its clean water for bathing, nevermind drinking, and the sweet canned foods, and the clean and comfortable clothes...

Like everyone else old enough to understand, Tim knew better than to ask about Sev’s work. His latest reveal were the robots which made life easier and safer, and there were rumors that Vault 81 was so grateful to him that they offered him a few of their girls to fuck and breed, which he did.

That got some of the single girls’ attention, leading to basically a gossip session with Sev’s girls, which most of the boys were happy to not be involved in. There was no doubt some envy of Sev’s capabilities, and Tim didn’t need reminding of the man’s feats as Piper and Cait were happy to keep going on about.

Katy was happy with him. He’d gladly settle for that.

So it was another boring day after school when New World 81 got one of the rare outside visitors, a group of curious settlers passing by that decided to take a look at the outpost. The bot patrols escorted them in. Curie warmly welcomed the awestruck visitors in to the ‘lobby’ area, though everyone else were a bit more wary, especially since all four strangers were men.

Food and drink was offered, and the strangers seemed to enjoy the canned fare even as the ice was slowly broken and socializing warmed up. They gave tales of the outside world, though Tim didn’t find anything worth listening to. He did have the impression that these men were keen to impress the girls, though it didn’t seem to amount to much.

“I said no!”

That was Katy’s voice. Tim perked up and quickly searched for his girlfriend. She was glaring up at one of the men while hugging her left arm and keeping it away from him. The entire lobby hall went quiet, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the scene. Tim weaved through the crowd to meet up with Katy.

The man looked skittishly around at the sudden attention, taking an uncertain step back.

“What happened?” Tim asked, heavy with concern. He noted how she moved up against him and instinctively moved in front of her.

Katy’s voice was brittle with outrage and barely leashed fear. “He...he wanted me to follow him outside.”

“Now look here,” the man protested, “I just asked if she wanted to talk somewhere quieter.”

Tim almost snarled. “And you had to grab her like that?”

The outsider took another step back as he defended himself. “I didn’t yank her!”

With the amount of shit they’ve been through, Tim believed the look on Katy’s face more than the stranger’s words.

“It seems a misunderstanding has occurred.” Weirdly enough, it was Curie who hovered calmly between them, focusing one eye stalk each on the stranger, Katy and Tim. “Perhaps clarifying the matter would aid in restoring peace, non?”

With a wordless order, a Mr Handy from nearby floated up beside the man, and his voice started playing from its vocal emitters, the background noise filtered out.

“-so why don’t we go someplace quieter?” The sliminess in his voice was clearly heard through the static-laced recording.

“No thanks. We’re only supposed to stay within this room.” Katy’s voice. She was firm, but clearly trying to be polite.

“Ah, in that case, why not a walk outside?”

“No. Please, let go. I said no!”

You are reading story Uncommon Wealth at novel35.com

The recording cut off and a cold hostility filled the room. Tim could’ve easily accounted for more than half of it, glaring at the man who was starting to visibly sweat.

“I see.” Again, Curie’s voice cut through and surprised Tim by how cold it was from her usual cheery self. There was an audible hum as the robots in the room armed their weapons. “It seems that you have overstayed your welcome sir.” How could a robot spit out that last word with such venom?

The man stumbled back in near panic as every inhabitant of New World 81, robot or human, glared at him. Then, against Tim’s expectations, he whipped out a pistol and waved it threateningly. His friends who had backed up to the entrance were horrified.

“Chuck! No!”

“Get back! All of you get the fuck back!”

Tim kept Katy behind him as everyone else backed away. Everyone except Nat, Piper and Cait. And the robots of course, who remained there on probably Curie’s orders.

“It’s not my fault you’re all a bunch of cockteases! Stupid bitch needed a real man to put her in her place!”

“Fucking hell Chuck!”

The other three men seemed torn between making a run for it or helping Chuck. A quick look and Tim noticed Piper was missing, though a clearly pissed off Cait was slowly walking towards the man.

“Put your little plinker away before you get hurt,” she threatened, resulting in Chuck’s pistol aiming at her. Some rustling and Tim found that the other men had drawn their own weapons, deciding to cover their friend after all.

It was Curie that gave them their last chance, as sentry bots from outside could be heard blocking the entrance. “Cease your hostilities, gentlemen, while you still can.”

Wide-eyed and clearly agitated, Chuck instead chose to turn his attention and aim at Tim and Katy. “Fucking cocktease bitch!”

Someone dashed out in front of Tim as the trigger was pulled. The gunshot echoed in the hall, which then sent the robots into a flurry of action. Cait and Curie handled the gunman, the girl delivering a solid kick into the man’s groin while the robot methodically grabbed his wrists and twisted it violently with an audible snap. The ankles were similarly snapped soon after.

Chuck’s screams drowned out the Mr Handy and Ms Nanny bots rushing his three friends, and all three promptly had their weapons disarmed and their limbs dislocated in a similar fashion.

“Nat!”

Tim stared down in horror once that name was shouted.

Oh god. Oh fuck no.

Nat had dived out to take the shot.

Nat got shot.

Oh shit.

Sev was going to kil-

“I’m ok, I’m ok!” Nat sprang up, brushing herself with a wide smile as the bullet fell off her right cheek with an audible plink. “You ok Tim? Katy?”

He could only nod numbly in surprise. Katy on the other hand ran out to hug the girl. “Nat! You’re not hurt!”

The girl just giggled like taking a shot to the head was no big deal, and Tim struggled to wrap his head around what just happened.

Chuck and his friends were dragged unceremoniously down to the basement, after Cait was done kicking the shooter a few times between his legs, and inviting Nat, Tim and Katy to give a few of their own.

As the outsiders were finally carried off, the basement door opened and Sev stepped out, Piper just behind him. How’d he come from the basement? Didn’t he leave New World on foot?

The big boss of New World 81 glared at the four helpless men for a brief moment before looking at the assembled residents. “So, what I miss?”

You can find story with these keywords: Uncommon Wealth, Read Uncommon Wealth, Uncommon Wealth novel, Uncommon Wealth book, Uncommon Wealth story, Uncommon Wealth full, Uncommon Wealth Latest Chapter