Sing for Me

Sponsored by the Devil

AN: Not crazy about this chapter, it's more of a filler but there is SMUT at the end... so enjoy lol

~

I sit at the bar watching the TV. A newscaster babbles on, "As all nations race to secure uranium and control the future of energy, a shortage has emerged, turning even allies into potential competitors. Will energy prices surge this winter and will it lead to an expanded war?" I chuckle softly with the shake of my head, finishing my drink. I see the familiar figure of my old friend. My old friend who sounds like he's gotten caught up in the communist bullshit. "Sorry you couldn't make it to the party the other night, Charlie," he looks at me with a blank face. "Guess you had one of your meetings, huh? One of your Communist meetings?" He sighs, taking the seat next to me, "Come on, man."

"We watched people die together up north fighting against all that horseshit." He shrugs, "Yeah, and for what?" I scoffed, "What do you mean, for what? For the American dream.
We're actors. We make movies, Charlie."

"Yeah, the American dream has me getting shot in the ass by you all day." I roll my eyes at his excuse. "You got five acres in Tarzana. I think you're doing all right." He shakes his head, "It doesn't matter, Coop. Vault-Tec's the fucking devil, man." I weigh in. "Vault Tech is a shifty company. I'll give you that. My ex-wife works there. She's a lot of things, but the devil? Come on now." "Do you know what "fiduciary responsibility" means?" "Fiduciary responsibility? No, I have no fucking idea.
I play a cowboy for a living."

Charlie goes on, "Okay. So, the U.S. government has outsourced the survival of the human race to Vault-Tec. Vault-Tec is a private corporation that has a fiduciary responsibility to make money for its investors. And how does it make money? By selling vaults." "That's called capitalism, Charlie." He continued digging, "But they can't sell vaults if these peace negotiations go through. So Vault-Tec has a fiduciary responsibility to make sure that it doesn't work out." I can't even wrap my head around his speech. "Yeah. How are they gonna do that?" He falls flat, "I don't know. You remember that movie we did with Johnny Morton... you were the sheriff and I was some generic Indian?" I disagree, "Come on, man, don't say that. Tall hand Mudlake could talk to horses. You played him with grace and with dignity. It was a great role for you."

"Morton played a rancher who owned half of Missouri. And what happens when the cattle ranchers have more power than the sheriff?" "The whole town burns down." "Right. Vault-Tec is a trillion-dollar company that owns half of everything. And after ten years of war, the U.S. government is broker than a joke. The cattle ranchers are in charge, Coop." I wave at his words again, "Come on, man, you sound like you're in a cult." He fires back, "And you're sitting here defending a system that's ready to set the world on fire, Cooper. Maybe you're the one in the cult."

I look away with the roll of my eye. He slides a card on the bar. "Look. You should come to a meeting. You should learn the truth about where your ex-wife works, and what they plan on doing with their employees. For (y/n)'s sake." With one final smile, my friend leaves the bar. Leaving me confused and a knot rolling in my chest.

Why the fuck would (y/n) be or any danger with Vault Tech? I stare at the card and begin to dive down a hole I'd rather not be sober for. I raise my hand, gesturing to the bartender, "Bartender, can I get one more?"

~

I caved and went to attend Charlie's meeting. It was a basic conspiracy for weak-minded individuals. She sits at the front, coffee in hand. "These soldiers that we're fighting abroad, their families, we have more in common with them than we do with the people here in power, the real enemy." I shake my head, "That's about all the horseshit I can take." I stand, place my hat back on my head, and make my way to the exit.