Late in the afternoon the team rounded a bend in the highway and saw a yawning canyon dropping away to the side, up ahead the highway took a sharp turn and a ten-meter long bridge spanned the gap. On the bridge they saw a crashed pick-up truck and a flock of vultures milling about all over. The birds fled after Jason lobed a rock and hit one of the beasts. As the team approached with caution, firearms at the ready, a horrific scene came into view. The bodies of no less than eight people, five men and three women lay dead on the bridge and two in the pick-up truck. All had been shot, some at a distance, others at close range. However before the team could investigate further they heard a low growl from the far end of the bridge. Turning they saw four dogs, or what they thought were dogs, prowling towards them with teeth bared. These “dogs” were a mockery of their former selves. The lead dog had two large heads, its jaws lined with huge teeth, the second had six legs, the third, two tails and the last mutant dog had a leg growing out the top of its back. It seemed as if the vultures weren’t the only hungry animal around. The Jason didn’t hesitate. He raised his grenade launcher and fired a single round into the middle of the lead dog. It exploded into dozens of chucks, the dogs to the right and left were hit with such force that they were blown off the bridge. The one to the rear was blow three meters backwards, maiming it. The fight was over even before it had begun as chunks of mutant dog rained down around the team. Hanley moved forward and leveled his .44 at the remaining mutant… even in its death throes it bit at him in vain. “Sorry old yeller…” with those words the last of the abominations was destroyed. After some searching, the team concluded that these people were fleeing from their killers. Two small round copper tokens were found on two of the bodies, each had a circular symbol on the front and a four-digit number on the back. The team salvaged what else they could and put the bodies to proper rest at Hanley’s suggestion. The team moved on some hours later. By nightfall, the team were one and all sweaty, sun burnt and exhausted – even with regular drink stops. The team took shelter under an overhang in a small canyon and munched on some ration-bars. There they saw their very first sunset over the desert as the sky was painted in stunning green, orange and yellow hues. It was an awe-inspiring scene for the citizens of the Retreat who had only ever seen such things in photos and video recordings.

At dawn, all four of the team watched the sunrise before getting back underway. Returning to the highway, the team hiked east once again for most of the day. In the late afternoon they arrived at the trading town named The Hub. There they saw the remains of a small town from before The Fall, most of which had been walled off with sheet metal, old car bodies and what looked like anything else the locals could find. In the small valley below the town and in canyons surrounding, the team saw people working small farms and plantations of fruits and vegetables. On the walls stood watchful guards with rifles at the ready. A small tower stood to one side of the gate with a large machine gun mounted on a tripod. A figure in the tower watched the teams approach through a set of binoculars. At the gate the “strangers” were challenged by the guards who appeared alert but not overly suspicious. The team was told “Yes you’re welcome here, just make sure you follow the law; No killin’’ and no stealin’ if you wanna trade you gotta sign up for a Hub Token.” The Hub Tokens appeared as a small copper disc with a circular symbol on the front and a four-digit number on the back. A Hub Token entitles the bearer to 4 litres of water from the well per day, but they must be willing to do at least 2 days work for The Hub every month. The team explained about the scene of murder they had come across on the road and the guard called for his superior, Sergent Mark. After explaining their story to him, Mark took the two Hub tokens they have recovered, thanked them and welcomed them to The Hub. Mark also told them that a man by the name of “Mr Fink” was in charge and that he would be informed of their discovery. The team looked a round town at all the traders’ stalls and drew water from the well before Jason met a trader and scavenger named Martin. Martin claimed that he could get anything… for a price. This got Jason’s interest and he inquired if Martin could locate a Zenner Diode for him. Martin was confident that he could, but required a down payment “scavenging is a dangerous business you know and what you’re asking for is a specialty item…” Jason handed over his flare gun. Martin told Jason to meet him at his place on the edge of town at midnight tonight and he’ll have word from his people if the diode can be located or not. Jason agreed much to the disapproval of his companions. The team all ended up in Max’s Bar for a round of beer which most were quite taken with. Later on a tall, lanky man in a long duster coat and cowboy hat strolled in, walked over to the team and asked for the by name. He introduced himself as “Jack Stockley, Captain of The Hub Guard. Most folk just call me Stocky though” he invited them to meet Isaac Finkelstine, the “Boss Man” of the Hub. The team agreed and went with Stocky to Turon Town Hall, a large two-story building which served as the centre of the Hub’s leadership and Isaac’s home. Isaac turned out to be a friendly old Jewish gentleman with a big smile a even bigger laugh. The team gave a detailed report on the victims they encountered on the road. Isaac appeared disturbed at hearing this news and later identified the deceased as a team he sent to Shady Sand with a message. Isaac also said he believed he knew who were responsible for the attack, a vicious group of raiders known as “The Brotherhood”. These marauders had been attacking for years and had recently destroyed the settlements of Holbrook and Second Mesa. The team had the presence of mind to ask about the trader Martin and Stocky said he was a known swindler and not to be trusted. Few of the team looked surprised at this news. Isaac inquired about the team and their origins, however he didn’t seem to buy the “Faraway Tribe” story. Isaac thanked the team for their “community mindedness” and said The Hub needed more people like them. He also offered the team employment, asking if they would carry out the mission that the last group had died trying to complete. The team responded favorably and Isaac invited them back for dinner that night.

That night the team headed down to meet with Martin… a full hour early. There they walked in and woke a fat, hairy man named Brian from his evening nap. When the team inquired about Martin Brian told them in no uncertain terms to bugger off, before reaching for something out of sight. The team had weapons trained on the man in seconds and told him to get on the ground and put his hands on his head – the man didn’t argue. Soon he was tied to a chair in the middle of the room while the team went about searching the house. They found a small stash of stolen goods including two Hub Tokens and some weapons. After a brief interrogation and humiliation (Brian was only wearing his old underpants when the team walked in the door), Xi Shi took a knife and stabbed it into the chair between Brian’s legs. The team left poor Brian tied to the chair, wide-eyed and sweating… and thanks to Xi Shi, gagged with his own dirty undies stuffed in his mouth!