37.  PARKER BLACK MARKET

This former middle school is run by Shrapnel, and has been converted into a large black market area.  The classrooms have been converted into shops, or rooms of stalls, like a large flea market.  The halls themselves are often littered with temporary vendors, selling from blankets. Even the roof top of the building is used.  It has been converted into a large garden growing food.  High yield grains are the most common crops grown, although fruits and vegetables are also grown in smaller supply.

The schools gymnasium has been converted into a clinic that provides cheap medical care.  The clinic is actually the longest running establishment operating out of the building, as it has been in place since the Red Cross set up there after Carnival.  This is where most of the medical and health supplies from the Connors Community center went before it was turned into the Run DMZ Brewery and Distillery.  This clinic is run by Leslie Randall.   Leslie was a doctor working with the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.  When she saw what was happening in the Combat Zone she decided to stay and help as much as she could.  It is in fact because of her that Shrapnel allows the clinic to operate in the building free of charge.  Leslie, when not providing medical care, tries to operate an outreach program to stop the violence in the Zone, by reaching the parents and young children.  She has met with limited success, but has attracted a group of followers who believe in her cause.

There is also a ripperdoc named Conrad Moser who has taken up long term residence in one of the upstairs classrooms.  Moser provides maintenance, upgrades, and repairs to Shrapnel for the cost of parts, as his way of paying rent.  Moser is a skilled doctor, and former classmate of Leslies.  Many say there is a romantic history with them, and she is the reason he came here, but a deeper look into his past will reveal that he lost his license after refusing to treat a patient.  No one knows the specifics.  Now Moser runs his underground cyberclinic, and occasionally assists Doctor Randall.  Moser works with Shrapnel to keep close eye on those who start exhibiting signs of cyberpsychosis, and keeps a list of banned patients that he will occasionally share with any other ripperdocs or clinics in the Zone who are interested.  Like most ripperdocs in the Zone, Moser will install illegal cyberware, and he works with a weaponsmith in the mall to create custom cyber.

Charlie Lock runs a weapon repair shop in the school.  He buys and sells weapons, especially if they interest him, but his stock is pretty limited.  He makes and sells ammo and explosives as well, but never on site.  He lives in a small house to the south, where in the basement he has everything he could need to make just about any bullet you want.  His prices aren’t cheap, but if you supply your own brass he will give you a discount.  He is a master smith, and can not only repair the weapons, but upgrade them and improve their quality and accuracy.

A daycare also operates out of the apartment building next to the school, to which the school gives unrestricted access to the old playground during the day.  Every Friday night, the playground is used to host a block party.

The black market is open 24 hours a day, though some vendors rooms get closed off after 6.  There is at least one member of Shrapnel on site at all times acting as security and collecting rent from temporary vendors.

Written By Deric Bernier, image from Batman, Grusborg

For questions, complaints, criticisms and suggestions, e-mail the author:wisdom000@gmail.com