12. Mustang

As Quinn left the shop and the others behind, his mind began to wander. How long had it been since he went to the Black Market? The first time he visited things didn't blow over so well. He was around Don's age when he tried stealing medicine that could help his mother's condition. Luckily, Harrison had been there and vouched for him. With a little yelling, and persuasion Harrison paid for the medicine. Little Quinn had been spared a beating of a life time.

"Squid. Relax. It's just a kid!"

Squid, a six-foot middle eastern man with wide shoulders, a pot belly, foul breathe and a horrible attitude had a finger and an eye directly on Quinn.
If there wasn't something you couldn't acquire on the streets or barter for, Squid always had it. In charge of a crew of twenty or so men, he led scavenger hunts on the outskirts and ruins for goods, resources, and even survivors. He also constructed trade deals with other merchants from other towns and cities. Nobody knew much about Squid or where he came from. Some said he had always been a merchant of some kind and travelled abroad, ultimately nesting here in Cinder City. He never spoke much about his past, to everyone he was just a grizzly middle-aged man who knew about the concept of supply and demand.


"Relax?! He is a goddamn thief! Nobody steals from me, not you, not him, not the next b*****d who walks through the door!"

"Ok. Fine, fine. How much for what he stole?"

Squid smiled, showing a set of brown and yellow teethe.

"How much you got in that pocket there, Ford?"

Harrison bit his lip and thought real hard about taking back his offer.

Right then Squid pulled a pistol from his waist band and pointed it in Quinn's direction.

"You best think quick-like, Ford."

Quinn's eyes grew wide with fear and curiosity. He had never seen a firearm before. It looked a bit rusty, had a unique smell to it.

"Damn it all."

Harrison reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash then threw it towards Squid.
Licking his lips, still pointing the gun at Quinn, he caught the money with a free hand and raised it to his nose, giving it a decent whiff.

"Ahh. People wonder why I collect this worthless paper. You know, cause it ain't valuable and such. But it's the only stuff I trade for. They still use it up in the Dome, I believe. When I get out of this filthy place and make it out there I ll be a king among kings. Can't wait either."

Squid began sniffing the money again and glaring at it as if were the most precious thing to ever come across.

"Now, Ford, take the runt. I better not see his face around here again. Little b*****d."

Squid holstered his gun and watched as Harrison and Quinn were escorted out.


Once outside Harrison decided to spark up a conversation. He could at least know the name of the 'little b*****d.'


"You got some real balls, you know that? What your name?

"My names Quinn. Thanks, I guess."

"Nobody tries to steal from there. One reason being, they' ll kill you. The other being, it's how most of us make a living out here."

"Yeah. What's your name, Old Timer?"

Harrison laughed at the compliment.

"Harrison, Harrison Ford."

"Ford? Like, a Mustang?"

"The Hell do you know about Ford Mustangs? That was way before your time, kid. And no, Ford like the general."

"Cars are my thing. Mother used to bring home these car sale books. They would keep us entertained for hours. So I got to learning about them, makes, models, all sorts of stuff."

"Yeah? Well, I have to admit. You are pretty damn smart for your age."

"Not smart enough, I tried stealing from Squid."

"Yeah. That was pretty dumb."

They both laughed.

"Quinn, where are your parents? I gotta make sure you get home and not steal from someone else."

"Parent. I only have my mother. My father died."

"What's your mother's name?"

"Susan. Why?"

Harrison muttered something under his breathe.

Quinn tried to catch it but it alluded him.

"What you say?"

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself."
Hey, I noticed you don't have any money. How about I offer you a job? I can't offer you much and its dangerous, but I think you'll enjoy it."

Quinn didn't give it a second thought.

"Yeah, sure. When do I start?"

Harrison smiled.

"Tomorrow. Just let me speak to your mother, first."

"Good luck. She's sick."

"Oh, well. Then who is taking care of you? Don't tell me you are all alone."

"Our neighbor, Nancy. She stops in and checks on us. She told me about a medicine could help my mother get better. Been on the lookout for it ever since, heard Squid got his hands on some. I didn't have any money, so I stole it."

"Stuffs expensive too. Cost me a whole weeks worth sales."

Quinn frowned with disappointment.

"Hey. It's cool, kid. Don't worry about it, you can pay me back when you start working."

Quinn smirked a bit. Nobody had ever given him the benefit of the doubt before. It felt good to have someone trust him.

"Deal."

Author's Note

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