"What the f-"
Sandra shot out of bed, sweat sticking her tank top to her, her hairs flying amok, her heart thrashing. Her Novac apartment remained silent apart from her rapid breaths. Arcade blinked himself awake in the bed across from her, but Vulpes remained sound asleep, sitting upright on the couch (which Old Lady Gibson was kind enough to give them), arms crossed, eyes closed.
Arcade Gannon rose from bed, his eyes squinty, as he was barely awake. The doctor knelt at her bedside, as was the usual routine. He was quite accustomed to talking Sandra back to sleep after a nightmare.
"I saw the Capitol..." Sandra sputtered. "In my dream... the Citadel exploded, and... Charon was there... and the Enclave showed up, but... no... the Enclave weren't the bad guys... this time... this time..."
"Sandra, calm down," Arcade said soothingly.
"It was the Brotherhood," Sandra gasped, twisting her face in confusion. "The Brotherhood... the Lyons' Pride... they were killing everyone... everyone in the city... all the people they saved... they were killing... everyone... why would they... why would they..."
"Sandra, it was only a dream," Arcade told her. "Come back to reality, will you? Everything's alright."
Sandra took a moment to compose herself. She loved the support she'd get from Arcade, but she hated these restless nights with a passion. It felt pathetic, snapping awake in a panic every other night like a looney escaped from a psych ward. She wondered how psychotic she must've looked to Arcade every time he was forced to exercise his inner psychologist.
"Sorry..." she breathed. "I jus... I never dream about the Capitol anymore. Usually... when I have a bad dream... it's something about the Legion, or the NCR, or... I don't know... I haven't dreamed about the Capitol in a long time... why did that happen..."
"Well, think about it," Arcade offered calmly. "We've been trying to find the western Brotherhood for nearly a month now, and you've been terrified of what we'll find, haven't you?"
"Not terrified," Sandra protested. "I just don't wanna find them and learn that they're totally hostile."
"Well, exactly," Arcade said. "You're worried about the Brotherhood's alliance, and that fear manifested in your dream. The only Brotherhood you've ever known was the Lyons' Pride back in the Capitol, so... that's what you envisioned."
"I guess..." Sandra sighed. The more she thought about their fruitless attempts at contacting the Brotherhood of Steel, the more she wanted to return to Vegas and have a few rounds with Niner and Raul. Her other friends - Raul, the gunslinging ghoul, and Niner, the lovable junkie she met on the road from Goodsprings - were maintaining New Vegas from the Lucky 38 in her absence. Since Mr. House was out of the picture, she needed somebody to maintain stability while she was away... but she and her two current companions had been on the road for weeks now, and she longed to return to the simple life of blowing caps and drinking at the slots.
Still, she had to admit, it was nice to be back out on the road, traveling and worrying only about what she'd eat for supper and where she'd sleep for the night. When she was in Vegas, her brain plagued her with constant concerns about the future, how she'd run Vegas, how the economy would stay put together, and how she was expected to engineer a future for the Independent Vegas she now owned. But out here... none of that mattered. Out here, Sandra was simply Courier Six, only obligated to travel the roads and look after whoever was by her side. Perhaps it was better that she was traveling like a simple courier; she wasn't made for the pressure of running an economy. For now, that was a burden that didn't belong to her.
"Maybe we don't need to find the Brotherhood," Sandra suggested. "Joshua Graham wrote me when we were in Freeside. He said he needed help, and I never got back to him. Maybe we should focus on that instead."
"You can't help the tribes in Utah if we don't get Vegas situated first," Arcade told her.
"Yeah, but if I help them again, they'd be indebted to me," Sandra replied. "We'd form more allies. We'd have a bigger army."
"Well, I'm not so sure that's a good idea..."
"Why not?"
"Because, last time you went to Utah, you stumbled in by yourself traveling with a caravan. This time... you'd be with us."
"So?"
"Well... I don't think Joshua Graham would have any problems with me, particularly, but..." Arcade glimpsed at the couch where Vulpes was sleeping. "I don't know about him. The Legion used to send assassins after Joshua Graham, remember? And the primary soldiers they used were frumentarii."
"Like Vulpes..." Sandra muttered. "Yeah, but Vulpes isn't Legion anymore."
"Try explaining that to Joshua Graham," Arcade said seriously. "I've never met the man, but from what you've told me, he doesn't sound like the understanding type. Vulpes was the greatest of his rank... the same rank of Legionaries who've been trying to kill Joshua since his botched execution. Think about it. Do you really think they'd get along if they were reunited? For all we know, Vulpes himself might've tried to kill Joshua at some point."
"I guess..." Sandra mumbled. "Damn. I wish I didn't kill that old guy in the Sierra Madre. He used to be Brotherhood. I might've gotten a lead off him if he survived..."
"Wasn't he the guy who put an explosive collar on your neck?"
"Yeah."
"Hm. Somehow I don't think he would've been all that cooperative."
"True."
Sandra rubbed her eyes, her adrenaline fading as quickly as it had come. Now she wanted desperately to flump back onto her pillow and sleep.
"We'll talk to him about Utah tomorrow," Arcade figured. "Or rather... you'll talk to him about it."
Sandra nodded in agreement. Arcade had agreed to allow Vulpes into their group, but the two of them still didn't get along well.
"Goodnight, Sandra."
Arcade returned to bed, allowing Sandra to fall asleep again. Luckily, her nightmares didn't come back this time.
"Utah."
Vulpes' voice was icy and distant, as usual. It was almost noon; Arcade had woken early and left to buy supplies for the trip, giving Sandra an opening to talk to Vulpes one on one. The two of them stood on the Novac motel's balcony. Vulpes had his arms crossed, his eyes glaring downward, his face pensive.
"You want to assist J.. the burned man." Vulpes gulped. "Why?"
"He could be a powerful ally," Sandra told him, trying to make her reasoning sound as unsentimental as possible. "If we get him and his tribes on our side... I mean, I'm already on good terms with them. Joshua would help me out if I helped him."
Vulpes almost winced. He still didn't like hearing the burned man's name; back in the old days, he would've been crucified for speaking the name Joshua Graham.
"Foolish," he said. "It's risky on an unprecedented level... and it's foolish to assume he'd return the favor to you."
"Why wouldn't he?"
"Because he's the Malpais Legate."
"So?"
Vulpes turned to her, his sharp blue eyes meeting hers.
"You haven't seen him the way I have," he stated. "Making alliances and setting them up for a betrayal is a Legion past time. Only one man in the Legion ever surpassed me in that respect. The burned man."
"Yeah, but he's not like that anymore," Sandra replied. "I met him. He helped me before. We helped each other... and then he got me home."
"You're naive. If you elect to hunt down the burned man, you and your doctor will be going it alone."
"What? No. I need you with me."
"He wouldn't be happy to see me. Any hope of striking a deal with him would be shattered the moment he laid eyes upon me."
"But..."
"Your plan can't involve me. If you think he can be an ally, then make him your ally. He won't be mine."
Sandra sighed. Arcade had said the very same thing; Joshua wouldn't be happy to see any frumentarii, the same Legionaries who had been sent to assassinate him on numerous occasions. But she was certain she could convince Joshua of Vulpes' redemption. If she told Joshua the entire story, he of all people would understand. Joshua was the first person in the world to ever redeem himself from the Legion, Vulpes being the second. If anyone understood Vulpes' situation, it would be Joshua.
"He's the only other person ever to leave the Legion alive," Sandra said. "He's the only person who's ever done what you've done. He'd understand once I explained things to him."
"He might. But you may not get the chance to explain. He'd attack us on sight if I came with you."
"No he wouldn't. He knows me. We're friends."
"Tch..." Vulpes rubbed his forehead. "You and your optimism. Friendship doesn't stop enemies from killing one another."
"But you're not enemies anymore."
"Are we not? Why? Because he and I were both thrown out of the Legion? That doesn't make us allies."
"God, you're a chicken."
Vulpes blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You're a chicken." Sandra tried not to grin. The offended look on Vulpes' face told her everything she needed to know; this was getting through to him. "You're scared that he's gonna kick your ass. Chicken."
"I fear nothing," Vulpes growled.
"Prove it," Sandra challenged.
They glared into each other for several seconds.
"Fine," Vulpes snarled. "I'll go. But if he chooses to crucify all of us, it's on your head."
"Good deal," Sandra laughed. "You're so easy."
"Meaning?"
"Nothing. Let's get ready to hit the road."
"Here we are."
The vertibird seemed to have landed in a remote desert, hundreds of miles away from Megaton and the rest of the Capitol Wasteland. Sarah, Gob, Bryan, and Mr. Burke all sat still in the machine, looking out the windows and observing the Mojave.
"Where exactly is here?" Mr. Burke asked.
"Nevada," Sarah announced, fiddling with the vertibird's radio. "I've been following a signal here. It's an SOS sent by a Brotherhood party... but I can't tell exactly where it's coming from. But the good news is, we know there's a branch of the Brotherhood here somewhere, which means we'll get some help. It's a start."
"A start..." Mr. Burke grumbled. "We've played this game from start to finish and it never ends well. I let some child convince me to spare Megaton... and even to protect the place. I knew I should've wiped the wretched place off the map when I had the chance. None of this would've happened."
Mr. Burke angrily thrust the metal door open and slammed it shut, standing outside and glaring into the desert.
"He doesn't mean that," Sarah told Bryan. "He's just really stressed. He put a lot of effort into maintaining that town... and because of Elder Maxson, it ended up being all for nothing. I wouldn't be very happy about that either."
"Well... I always dreamed of making it big," Gob commented, pointing out the window. "Maybe that ain't such a pipe dream around these parts. Look at that tower. People must be livin' it up here."
Sarah and Bryan followed his trail of vision, spotting the Lucky 38's brilliant lights in the distance. Night had fallen, and the tower shone over the wasteland, looking impossibly beautiful, brightening the night sky in a way that nothing ever had back in the Capitol.
One by one, everyone departed the vertibird, absorbing the scenery and slightly surprised to see that there were no gigantic crumbling buildings or massive piles of debris in sight.
"Look there," Sarah said, motioning up the hill, where a couple of tents, a few trailers, and some lanterns would be seen in the distance. "Looks like an outpost."
"Great," Mr. Burke remarked. "And there's a great big tower surrounded by casinos down south. Hmph. Maybe I've been in the wrong wasteland this whole time. This feels more like my kind of scene. Viva New Vegas..."
"Don't tell me you're gonna turn into a douchbag again," Sarah sighed.
"No... but I will say, seeing this place... it's reminded me of something," Mr. Burke replied, his old, eerie voice returning to him, making him sound as sleazy as he had when he first met Sandra five years ago. "I've really lost my way. I've forgotten who I am... my talents... everything I excell at. Trying to do the right thing... leaves you vulnerable to those who aren't afraid to do the wrong thing. But if you treat life like a game of chess, then... you can plan around the bad guys. You can end them long before they try to end you."
"Now you sound like Maxson," Sarah said. "Please don't lose your mind, Burke. We can start over here. We can make something in this place. This isn't just some redeeming mayor gig... this is a real fresh start. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"I suppose," Mr. Burke murmured ominously. "And God delivered me to New Vegas... the land of prosperity and manipulation. My kind of world."
"Yeah..." Gob muttered awkwardly, squeezing between Sarah and Mr. Burke. "So, uh... I'm gonna head up the hill and see what these people can tell us about the area. Maybe they're renting out those trailers. If they are, we'll have a place to sleep tonight."
Gob marched toward the 188 Outpost, and the others followed him. The four of them walked under the concrete bridge, and Bryan stopped, spotting another young boy sitting on a colored rug, surrounded by articles of random junk. The boy was wearing a convoluted metal contraption on his head, gazing thoughtfully into nothingness.
"Um... hey," Bryan said, approaching him. "What're you doing out here?"
"Thinking," the boy replied distantly.
Bryan gave him an odd look. Sarah and Mr. Burke exchanged peculiar glances.
"Do you want to hear my thoughts?" the boy asked. "I can forecast your life for you."
"Is that what you do? You tell fortunes?" Bryan wondered. "Can you tell us a fortune?"
"Sure," the boy agreed. "That'll be ten caps."
Bryan dug out ten caps from his savings and handed them over.
"Now... what do you want me to think about?" the Forecaster inquired. "I can think about you... or this place... or the whole world."
"Um... think about this place," Bryan requested. "This outpost... the Mojave... we're not really familiar with the place, so..."
The Forecaster nodded and removed the medical device from his head, taking in a deep breath.
"Many down, but four still rise," he began, staring upward and appearing to be talking to the sky. "Four lone wanderers, but they're not alone. Lonely with each other. Reliant on each other. Bloody rain will fall around us... but not kill us. Cleanse us. This outpost, a place of many meetings, crucial for the Mojave, painful yet mending to the hearts of the wanderers... not just four wanderers. Six. Six wanderers. The lonely ghoul... the rebelling girl... the orphaned boy... the redeemed monster... the sad outcast... and the broken courier. Forecast; scary with a chance of reunion."
"Reunion?" Mr. Burke asked. "With whom?"
"Sad outcast? Who's that supposed to be?" Sarah questioned. "And who's the broken courier?"
"Stop asking him questions," Bryan told them, noticing the pained look on the Forecaster's face. "It's hurting him."
"Sorry," the Forecaster said, placing the metal contraption back onto his head. "I can't think for too long..."
"That was quite impressive," Mr. Burke said. "I think 'redeemed monster' suits me quite well."
"Thanks for your time," Sarah said politely. "We'd better be going now."
They turned, preparing to walk up the hillside, but Sarah stopped when she noticed someone hovering over the railing above her, staring down at her like she'd never seen anything quite like her before. It was a girl, though most of her body was covered in a thick brown coat, a pointed hood draped over her head, her eyes wide with curiosity as she ogled at Sarah.
Sarah was giving her the same look. The girl up the hill was wearing scribe robes. Brotherhood robes.
At once, Sarah jogged up the hill, hoping to speak to the mysterious Brotherhood woman, but after she ran past her companions, she bumped into someone, her power armor nearly knocking them to the ground.
"Oh... sorry!" Sarah exclaimed, glad to see that she hadn't knocked the NCR sodier to the pavement.
"It's fine," Boone replied grouchily, straightening his beret. "Why're you in that power armor? Are you on your way to guard the shipment too?"
"Um... no," Sarah answered. "I'm not with your people, um... what is that, anyway?" She pointed to the two-headed bear on Boone's chest.
"The symbol of the New California Republic," Boone told her. "You must be new around here if you haven't heard of us."
"M-military?" Sarah said. "Huh. We don't have any kind of law and order back where I come from..."
"You're lucky you came here, then," Boone stated. "We're working toward securing New Vegas. You'll be a lot safer here than anywhere else."
"What makes you think a military takeover is the best option?" Sarah asked, thinking of Maxson and feeling her stomach churn.
Boone narrowed his eyes at her from behind his glasses. "It's the only option. Any other option is anarchy."
"Oh... you're that type," Sarah replied, her tone flattening. "Well... nice talking to you. Seeya."
Sarah left the conversation and meandered up the hill, the others following suit. She spotted the girl in the scribe robes at the balcony, still staring at her, almost marveling.
"So..." Sarah began, approaching the girl. "I've never seen you before, but I'm guessing you and I have a lot in common."
"Uh... yeah," the girl, Veronica, replied with a smile. "I was wondering... because no one in these parts struts around in power armor as proudly as you are. Especially not in NCR territory. Thing is... I know everyone in my branch, and I know you're not one of them. Where did you come from? Are you really Brotherhood, or did you just salvage that armor off some guy you found laying dead in a crater?"
"I'm really Brotherhood," Sarah confirmed. "My name's Sarah. And you?"
"Veronica."
"Nice to meet you. So... do you think you could show us the ropes? I've never been in the Mojave before. Maybe you could introduce us to our fellow western brothers."
"Oh... you were looking for another chapter of the Brotherhood? That's why you came here?"
"Yup."
"Well... there is a chapter here, but... they're kinda reclusive. Well... I guess paranoid would be a better word for them. I don't know if they'd want to see anyone from the outside, even fellow Brotherhood members."
"Really? I followed a Brotherhood SOS here. It seemed to me like they were calling out for help."
"You did? Oh... that must be from Helios One. We sent out that signal ages ago. I didn't know it was still broadcasting..."
They both went quiet for a moment.
"I guess I can show you around," Veronica offered. "I'll try to talk my family into meeting with you guys next time I see them."
"Thanks," Sarah said gratefully.
Veronica introduced them to the Slop N' Shop, and after a cheap dinner, the four of them paid to use one of the trailers for the night. Sarah, Gob, Bryan, and Mr. Burke curled into their sleeping bags, all of them feeling estranged, none of them knowing what they were going to do from here.
Mr. Burke was up the longest, and when he finally fell asleep, a dark nightmare daunted upon him, a strange delusion of his first visit to Megaton, of Sandra's face, of what might've happened if the lone wanderer had agreed to destroy Megaton...