FO4 | Book 0: The Diaries of Anarchy ✔️

May 19, 2283

I was walkin' through the streets of Goodneighbor when I heard a little somethin' interesting. Heard two guys talkin' about how they were goin' on some kind of treasure hunt, but it was supposed to be dangerous.

This piqued my interest because I was gettin' bored in town. It was startin' to feel like I wasn't allowed to leave, and I hated that. I gave Fahrenheit some bullshit excuse all the time about how I should go out for some fresh air, practice on some raiders or mutants, how it would keep me humble in the long run and not let the power get to my head. It was all excuses, though. In truth, I was just ready to remind myself that I still had freedom.

"Hey," I called to the two drifters by the gun shop as I moseyed my way over. "You guys plannin' a heist or somethin'?"

"No, Mayor Hancock," said the first guy nervously. He had red hair, a mustache, and wore an overused set of leather armor.

"It's a treasure hunt," said the more ambitious one with brown hair, brown eyes, and a single metal chestplate. His arms and legs were exposed to the world.

"And you guys are goin' like that?"

They looked down at what they were wearing.

"Well, yeah," said the first guy.

"And you expect to survive?" I asked.

"We have to!" said the second guy, still as ambitious as before. "We need this treasure so we can afford better armor!"

"Lemme see what kinda heat you're packin'."

They presented to me a pipe pistol and a pipe rifle.

"No, no, no. This won't do at all. You'll be like two lost babes in a wolf's den."

"What do you suggest, Mayor?"

"I tell ya what. How about I fund this little expedition of yours. I get you some decent armor and guns, and you take me along for the ride. We split this treasure evenly. Whaddya say?"

Their eyes went wide.

"Are you serious? The Mayor's gonna fund our expedition!"

"That's right. Now, tell me what your names are, fine gentlemen, and I'll get some things for you at Kleo's shop."

"I'm Tanner," said the nervous one.

"I'm Brian," said the ambitious one.

"Tanner and Brian. You seem like decent guys to run with."

I ordered two decent guns from Kleo, a box of ammo each, and better leather armor for both of them. The cost came to a little over a thousand caps. I told Kleo I'd have Fahrenheit send her the money from my safe as soon as I got back because I was, in fact, avoiding her. She was gonna be pissed when she learned I had skipped town.

"Lead the way boys. Where's this treasure at, anyway?"

They had just finished putting on their new armor.

"Well, it's like this," Tanner started. "We were fighting some molerats with our friend, Hadrian. Hadrian was a kickass fighter and knew his way around the Commonwealth like no one we'd ever met, so we took up with him and became fast friends. Well... there were too many molerats, and he had too many injuries to survive. We didn't have enough medical equipment to save him."

"Hadrian died, but we managed to kill the last of the molerats as they fed on his corpse," said Brian with a deep frown. "This is all we have to remember him by, and we intend on finding this treasure to avenge him." He handed me a piece of folded paper from his pocket.

I unfolded the ancient-looking flier and read it.

"The Treasures of Jamaica Plain

"October 17th - 23rd, 2077

"Come see the fabulous Treasures of Jamaica Plain! This stunning exhibit will be on display for one week only before these priceless items are sealed away, never to be seen again! Bring the entire family to this once-in-a-lifetime event!"

I looked at the paper with skepticism. It sounded gimmicky and, frankly, fake. But these guys seemed to believe that it was real Old World treasure. My worry was that this Old World treasure was gonna be just like the rest of the junk that came from way back then: worthless.

"Let's get this freak show on the road."

____________________

As we left Goodneighbor, I instructed them to make sure they stayed low to the ruins to avoid raiders and Super Mutants. Everything was goin' pretty well until we got close to Jamaica Plain.

Jamaica Plain looked like it used to be a quaint, patriotic town. Lots of old flagpoles with American flags hangin' up around town and red, white, and blue decorations — or what was left of them.

The problem we encountered with Jamaica Plain was the fact that it was crawlin' with ghouls, and it had Tanner and Brian shakin' in their boots.

I instructed them to stay put while I took care of the ghouls. Ferals didn't look twice at sentient ghouls and treated us like ferals, too. I could walk through the herd of feral ghouls and take them out quickly with my knife without raising their suspicions.

I had walked into the middle of the street and took out two of them quick enough, but Tanner's timid ass shot the closest one to them out of nervousness and riled up the rest of the crowd.

"Shit!" I muttered as the rest of the group ran after them.

I shotgunned a few in the back, earning the ire of some of the ghouls now, but I managed to pick them off of me. I could hear the screams of Brian and Tanner as the ghouls devoured them.

By the time I thinned out the crowd and got the rest of them off of me, there was barely anything left of the two knuckleheads I had followed out here.

"Are you shitting me?!" I cursed into the wind.

I followed a bunch of pansies out here. Well, no use in cryin' over spilled milk. Time to find that treasure.

____________________

I made it back to Goodneighbor, defeated. At the end of it all, I was a thousand caps less and no closer to havin' treasure. As I suspected, the treasure the flier spoke of at Jamaica Plain was in a locked room underneath the building and consisted of prewar junk.

I made it back to my office, got off my tired feet, and popped a Mentat in my mouth.

Fahrenheit looked up from a Guns 'n' Bullets magazine to give me the eye of disapproval. "Have fun?"

"No."

"Learn your lesson?"

"No."

She rolled her eyes. "What did you go out there for? To get yourself killed?"

"Hardly. I went out there lookin' for treasure and found a time capsule full of junk instead."

"Serves you right. Maybe now you'll stay put and not put yourself in danger. The town needs you here, not gallivanting around the Commonwealth."

I sighed as she continued to nag me, my mind wandering to when my next little adventure would take place.