"Horrifying effects."

"I am not bothered by insects fortunately, Mistress."

"One of the very many reasons I can trust my life to you."

"It is my pleasure to protect you, Mistress."

She smiles at Jade before looking back at the bodies. Are there any... identifying clues or unusual marks or things of that nature?

They seem to be wearing pretty rough clothes - and what looks like armor, some mix of possibly-leather and cloth padding under crude hard plates. There's gashes in it - whatever attacked them was using a bladed weapon - and they both seem to have been carrying guns and knives. They also each have a painted patch on their shoulder, what's probably a highly stylized F in rusty red paint.

Gangs. That's cool.

Well, if nothing else, they might be able to use or sell some of this...

Guess so...

Jade can loot them quickly, if her Mistress is willing to pause.

Sure.

All of this is low quality... But it should be worth something to sell. She suspects weapons, even shitty ones, always are.

"The world's gotten a lot more violent, huh."

"Unfortunately so, Mistress."

(The cat makes a concerned noise and headbutts Ellie questioningly.)

Pet pet.

"You'll have to teach me how to shoot when we get somewhere safe."

Firm nod. "I will, Mistress."

"Got everything we want from here?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Down the road again.

Concord is a run-down mess - but there's signs of life. Clear looting, of course, and evidence of this or that house having been patched at some point (and then fallen back into ruin), and layers of graffiti.

There's also a commotion audible as they approach the streets near the Museum of Freedom - gunshots, the odd sound of a laser rifle, shouts...

"Think we should try to avoid that?"

"Yes."

The kitty apparently disagrees! She starts yowling and wriggles out of Ellie's grip, hitting the ground running towards the commotion.

"Kitty wait-!"

Ellie moves after the cat, a bit more cautiously.