Chapter 1: Picking Up The Pieces

The night was cold and the lights of New Vegas loomed from far away. The old town of Goodsprings had to bury many residents but it seemed more and more ever since Jack Collins and Vincent Black showed up.

Jack and Vincent were two wandering souls who showed up one night and never left. They had come from the slums of New Vegas, in Westside. They came from nothing but managed to escape the life and came upon the small town of Goodsprings. There they were welcomed mostly because they were good fighters and protected the town from any harm. Everything seemed to be fine until one night a group of men came into the town with sub-machine guns and shot up Vincent's place. He survived and the shooters got away all except one. Vincent shot him clean right in the temple while he was trying to escape.

It was late in the night and everyone had been sleeping. They awoke to gunshots which they were not as accustomed to as most people nowadays. Everyone surrounded the dead body with awe and confusion. They all asked Vincent what happened, he replied that men shot up his place. They were all shocked to hear such terrible news. Soon after some reassuring most folks went back to bed or when to the old bar to shake it off.

Vincent examined the body, he wore prison overalls and a jacket with the letters NCRCF on the back. Vincent recognized the man as a powder ganger a group of vicious criminals that took over the prison they were confined to and are now causing trouble in the area. Vincent wasn't quite sure why a group of punks like the powder gangers would try to kill him. Maybe it was just for the thrill or maybe it was something deeper then that. He studied the body more carefully this time around and noticed something he didn't before. The man had markings on his body a symbol that Vincent had seen long ago. It was the symbol of the Great Khans a group of men who Vincent had worked with from before.

It had been sometime since he had worked with the Great Khans and they were not the kind of people you want to mess with. Vincent had history with them and their leader Papa Khan. He had done some bad things in his life and now they were finally catching up with him. When Vincent, Jack, and three others escaped Westside they had looked for the Great Khans for help. Along the way Vincent and his group betrayed the Great Khans and now finally they tracked him down and want him dead.

Vincent was old now he was fifty-one going on fifty-two and was in no shape to fight like he could twenty years ago. Jack who was only fourteen when he left Westside was now thirty-three and had been by Vincent's side ever since. Jack turned into a cold killer on their journey through the brutal Mojave Wasteland. Jack stayed true to his word though no matter what and all and all he was a good man.

Jack had been out hunting with one of his friends and would be back by morning. When Jack would return Vincent already knew Jack would pick up his gear again and go and hunt down the sons of bitches who tried to kill his old friend. Vincent could nothing to stop it and he wouldn't but if Jack did leave it could be the last time he saw him.

Vincent dragged the body up to the tall burial mound by Goodsprings. He buried the body and took a seat at the edge by the rusty water-tower. He lit a cigarette and relaxed as he gazed out towards the shinning lights of New Vegas. He thought back about his life there and how he prayed everyday to escape the hellhole. While he was daydreaming he slowly faded off and fell asleep.

Jack came up to the snoozing Vincent and woke him up. Vincent was surprised to see Jack and the two hugged. Vincent told Jack what had happened. Jack knew exactly what he had to do as Vincent did too. Jack would hunt down each last Khan until they left him and Vincent alone. Jack had managed to stop them by giving up one of their locations to the NCR three years ago at their main base. The Khans were settled up at their home in Bitter Springs when the NCR came in and massacred their whole village. Jack didn't know that they would kill everyone but they did women, children, even the elderly. They all died because Jack gave them up to save his and Vincent's hides. Jack had never been the same since, it twisted him and drove him crazy knowing all of the lives he was responsible for.

Jack knew that this time he would have to take matters in his own hands and stop the Khans once and for all. Jack gathered his gear and returned to Vincent for one last goodbye. Figuring he would die on the way Jack gave his final goodbye to his friend and mentor. They looked out to the tall structures of New Vegas.

Vincent spoke first. "Where do you plan on going their first?"

"I figure I'll scout the roads to find some Powder Gangers and find the ones who shot up your house. Then I'm going to travel wherever these damn tribal bastards are and take care of them. It's what has to be done, it's the only way they'll leave us alone." Jack took a deep breath and exhaled, he was nervous.

"What about Tim and...her?" Vincent spoke of Jacks old girlfriend who left Westside with them only to leave Jack when he joined the Khans to survive. Last Vincent and Jack heard she was a prostitute on the streets of New Vegas.

"Tim's a merc now he'll be hard to track but the Khans might get to him. With her...I don't know. She chose her path and I chose mine, but if she's in danger I have to find her."

"Whatever happens I just want you to know that I love you. You were like a son to me and you're the only person in this world anymore that I truly care for. Just make sure you make sure their safe. Kill the Khans or not just make sure everyone's safe."

"I will. Goodbye Vincent." The two hugged and Jack walked down the mound. Vincent watched as he saw his best friend slowly fade away into the dust of the Mojave with a mind set on vengeance and a fully loaded gun. This would be the last time he ever saw Jack.