Hours earlier at Hoover Dam, outside wall. Wednesday 3rd November 10:29 am.
Hoover Dam was looking good right about now. Hard to think that six years ago the damned place was a battlefield, one that cost the lives of over a hundred men and women. People killing each other over water and electricity. Was it all worth it? Well, the Mojave isn't slaved to death under Caesar's Legion, so that was nice at least.
Lyannah remembered that skirmish to almost every detail, gave her something to think about while she stared out to the rising sun. She leant on the stone wall and watched the ball of fire behind all the fluffy clouds. Her dark hair flew in the gentle wind.
Her lover William Haydock was seeing some old N.R.C. friends of his in Hoover Dam's barracks. She was still enjoying the courier life, more along the lines of being the one to love and protect him. Like he did for her when she first arrived in this bizarre world.
Settling down in this Mojave Wasteland was tough but she loved Courier Six and nothing would change that. Not even the bitter hopes of not returning back to her native world Nirn. Lyannah had hopes of returning to the land of Skyrim to settle things she left undone. There hasn't been much luck in that recently but, then again, there was no reason to rush. There was nothing left for her there other than some loose ends.
This trip just wasn't for Six, it was for her too. She often visited General Wesker for a little tutoring on her skills in the arcane arts of magic. Despite being an expert in many schools and the only Mage in the Mojave, she was missing out on things she never knew. He was her new master.
She used to go for some monthly tutoring but he started acting strangely nearly three years ago and suddenly avoided her like the plague. She waited until he got well but a halfway into last year he was demoted due to supposed "sickness". She's at peace with her new life and decided not to bother with her studies after his demotion. Now he's missing...
Six and Lyannah took a caravan all the way to pump the N.C.R. for more information. Boone in particular since he was the General's bodyguard. Apparently, the N.C.R. Council sent him to the Commonwealth. Lyannah hadn't heard anything about him since April and found it was odd he just went all quiet.
Lyannah waited for nearly an hour on the ledge. Hoover Dam may be forever stained with blood and bullets through recent history but it had a great view. The Sun and clouds were something to watch. The beauty was glorious. She read that staring at the skies was a simple pleasure of the old world.
She heard a door click from her right, it was Six; he was not in the best of moods. He pulled up his collar and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He came to her and joined her on the ledge. Her legs crossed on the ledge, he simply leant with his long-rimmed hat covering his eyes from the Sun.
"What did that Boone have to say?" Lyannah said, uninterested.
William sighed. "Boone knows nothing more than we do. We all know General Wesker is in the Commonwealth, but even he doesn't know where exactly."
"He's the bodyguard, he should be with the General at all times."
"He's Moore's bodyguard now. I bet she knows where he is but she's just… difficult."
"I can go in there."
William smiled, staring at her beautiful face. Lyannah had the cutest nose and lips. She settled for black lipstick today. "What good would that do?"
"The best counter for a formidable woman is another one in return. You might be a bit more convincing with me at your side."
"Since when were you the voice of reason?"
"Voice of reason?" Lyannah giggled. She looked back at William. His short stubble really went well with his shaved head. "Never was, I just want to give her a piece of my mind. That man of hers was my teacher."
"We'll find him. Don't worry."
"Just saying, William. General Wesker was fine until he just started avoiding me for three years."
"Yeah, I know that-"
"Don't we all," she interrupted, almost losing her nice tone. "Then he just gets sent away and we never hear from him at all. At all, William."
William pushed himself from the stone ledge in a slight huff. "Him being stationed in the Commonwealth is all the N.C.R. will tell us, only their Council will spill and I'm not going to Crocker. Can't be asked to hoof it over to the Strip."
"How's that working out for you?" she sneered.
"I know Moore has more information than she lets on."
"I'll get her to talk."
William noticed an attractive redhead walking to the Hoover Dam's main entrance. She had a beige hoodie on. He knew her. An old flame… "Maybe you don't need to. I think that's Cass over there."
"Who?"
"Agent Wesker's wife."
"David… Oh, boy. She's going to have all the fun."
Usually, she would at least smile, but Cass just walked straight into the Dam's visitor's centre. William wasn't sure if she even noticed him and Lyannah sat on the ledge to her left. They were quite far out. "We should go with her."
Lyannah twisted her body around. "Why?"
"She's a nice lass and you know, since David died she's been a bit down lately. We don't see enough of her."
"Whatever you want William."
Six and Lyannah went straight to the visitor centre. In the circular room was the main help desk, to the south was an elevator down to the offices, some stairs in the back led upstairs to another office. They took the elevator very close to the entrance down.
The offices are on two levels, spread out on a single east to the west corridor, with usual entry being the visitor centre. The first office on the right was the General's, though Cassandra was a little less approachable than Zachariah was. Boone was still outside the closed door. He stopped Six and Lyannah in their tracks.
"You must wait outside," he said, "General Moore is seeing someone."
"Where's that colourful smile, Craig?"
Boone's frown was more forced. "I don't smile on command, Courier."
"Who's Moore seeing?"
"General Moore's business, not yours, Six." Boone wasn't used to constant heckling. He adjusted his rifle against his arm and shoulder with the butt sat inside his elbow. Like some sort of ceremonial guard. "I'm working, bother me when I'm off duty."
"Is she seeing anyone we know?"
Boone sighed. "General Moore's seeing Cass. There has been a lot of arguing in there and I don't like it."
"Anything new?"
"I don't eavesdrop. Leave it at that."
Six and Lyannah waited opposite Boone for a few minutes. It was getting close to eleven o'clock now, it was still morning so there wasn't any hurry. They leant on the wall opposite but eventually got bored of waiting. Lyannah decided to check out the seating area in the visitor's centre.
There was no sound coming inside the General's office. Six gave himself ten more minutes of waiting before he followed Lyannah to wait in the visitor's centre. This time there was someone behind the receptionist's desk, not like earlier when they arrived. A newspaper on the desk was new.
It was from Publick Occurrences, a small newspaper outlet from New England Commonwealth, the, Commonwealth Wasteland. Six knew an ex-courier that used to deliver these to people outside Boston, only if they paid a membership fee. Didn't figure the N.C.R. would waste time with investments like that.
It was only a small page but it gave Six something to read. One headline in bold really caught his eye. Not only it was dated for today, it was partially relevant. N.C.R. citizen seen in Goodneighbour, floods bar with dollars. That was nothing too special but it went on and on in more detail.
Days, weeks, months this N.C.R citizen been seen going to this Boston bar in Goodneighbour and other times in this memory hub. The publisher has good reason to believe this citizen has been a patron for six months or more and a regular at the Memory Den.
The money was hugely plentiful and could spell an economic backlash, since the Commonwealth has no N.C.R. connections, not until now apparently. And this was a wealthy citizen, one who was seen around too often. A place of booze, drugs and good times.
The description in the middle paragraph caught Six's eye most of all. He sat down by Lyannah and focused harder. It was about the man in question. Late twenty. Shaved head. Beard. Golden eyes… Smooth voice… Able to drink dozens of whiskey in one sitting… all day every day… Expensive clothes… Six months though… Might be too obvious. The same guy that goes to the Memory Den.
Could it be? The elevator came back up with a subtle ding and opened. Cass walked out. Her mood was no better than earlier. Like she lost a huge bet. She stormed out of the elevator and walked straight to reception. There was no one to greet or help her; she just waited there for some reason. William screwed up the newspaper and discarded it. He lost interest shortly after the main topic. Fuck the economy.