Author's Note: For everyone reading, the first three chapters will be kind of slow, because I have to find out my footing in this story. Thanks for reading, have a nice day.
A hand shook his shoulder with great force. Sam quickly opened his eyes, and snatched the person's arm with his hand.
"Oh," Sam said. "It's only you."
"Flights over, come on." Said Sarah Lyons. The Vertibird had landed; the rest of the team was asleep, only him and Sarah were awake.
He stepped outside of the Vertibird, and removed his helmet. He could see a town in the far distance, and lights somewhere close to it. He turned back around.
"Well…" he said. "I guess this is good bye." He said to Sarah.
"Yeah. I guess so." She said stepping out of the Vertibird. She came over to him, and before he knew it her lips were on his. It happened too fast and ended too quickly. "Come back to us in one piece okay?"
She turned back to the Vertibird. A few seconds and it began to take off. He watched the Vertibird until it disappeared into the distance. And they were gone. Just like that. Then he turned and began to walk to the light he had seen before. He didn't look back.
"You got what you wanted, now pay up." Said a gruff voice. She didn't recognize it.
"You're crying in the rain pal'ee." Said another voice. Smooth, accented. She looked down at her hands. Tied. She struggled with the ropes with no success.
"Look who's waking up over here." Said the smooth voice again. She looked up. It came from a man in a checkered suit. Black and white. "Time to cash out."
"Will you get it over with?" said a man to his left. The checkered suit man walked forward, a finger pointed in the air.
"Maybe Khans kill people without looking 'em in the face…But I ain't a fake." He said. He pulled something out of his coat. Something circular. Was that…a poker chip? "You made your last delivery kid." He pulled out a gun. "Sorry you got twisted up in the seam."
"From where you're kneeling must seem like an 18-karet run of bad luck." He said aiming the gun at her head. "Truth is, game was rigged from the start."
She heard three bangs before everything went black.
Shit, Sam thought. It had been less than an hour in this place and he had already had to fire his gun. He had walked towards the light, but when he got closer he saw a man in a checkered suit holding a gun to a woman kneeling, probably tied up. He had fired a shot from his Blachawk, aiming for the man in the checkered suit, but he had missed, hitting a man farther to the right. A shot had rung out immediately after his, and the woman had dropped to the ground. Sam fired several more shots, but the man in the checkered suit had gotten away. He rushed to the fallen woman. There was blood all over her face and hair. He felt for her pulse. It was slowly pulsing slower and slower every moment. He dug in his pack and brought out a Med-X and Stimpack, injecting both into the woman's head. He turned to look for that town he had seen earlier, and came face to-no, face to screen with a robot. Sam reacted quickly, drawing his katana from his back and quickly slashing at it. But when he swung the sword missed, the robot merely stepping aside.
"WHOA there partner. Might want to not swing that at me." Said the Robot.
"The FUCK?" Sam yelled.
"My name's Victor" said the robot. "And I'd be glad to help your lady friend." Gesturing to the woman's body.
The town he had seen earlier was called "Goodsprings". Victor had called himself a securitron. He would've looked intimidating, except his face was a cowboy's, which looked ridiculous on the massive armored body. Victor had said a Doctor Mitchell would be able to help. Despite the Victor probably being stronger than him, Sam was forced to carry the woman. When they had arrived at the Doctor's house, the door was opened, the woman taken to a bed immediately. No questions asked. The Doctor had even offered him to sleep on the couch, which he accepted. He didn't even remove his helmet, and instantly went to sleep.
Sam woke up the next morning dazed. Where was he? Then he remembered. The woman, the man in the checkered suit, that…Victor. He removed his helmet, and sat up yawned.
"Glad to see you're awake." Said a voice.
Sam instantly jumped up, Blackhawk in his hands, aiming at the person.
"Whoa slow down there. Just put the gun down. I'm Doctor Mitchell, the person who's helping your friend?" he said. Sam lowered his gun, but kept it out.
"She's not my friend, I just saw her."
"Well if you wanted to know, she's fine. Victor tells me you used Med-X and a Stimpack on her. Good call, it might as well saved her life."
"Who is she?" Sam asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me that. Come here." Mitchell said waving a hand. Sam followed him.
The woman was lying on a bed, there was a lot of blood everywhere but it looked like Mitchell had cleaned her up. Her faced was heart shaped, with pale skin and blonde hair.
"She should be awake soon. I'll have to run some tests." He said. Sam nodded.
A bright light. It was like a flash. It was heaven. She reached up for it.
"Look's like she's awake Doc." Said a voice. A man's. That brought her out of her reality. The light was a lamp hanging from the ceiling. Her head hurt. A lot. She realized she was lying down on a bed. She sat up.
"Where…Where am I?" she asked.
"Let's slow down there." Said a different man. He was old, but his voice was kind and reassuring. "What's your name?"
The Courier was puzzled. What was her name? She racked her brain, thinking hard.
"Beth." She said.
"Well Beth, you're in my house right now. My name is Mitchell. You were shot in the head. This man saved you." He said gesturing to the man behind him. He was handsome, and young as well. But his face had the look of someone who's been far and done a lot.
"My name's Sam." Said the man. She noticed what he was wearing. Some kind of full body suit, with the helmet off.
"Now, Beth we're going to have to go through some tests, check how you are. Would you mind standing up?" said the Doctor.
She tried to stand up too quickly, and faltered. When she tried again, the Doctor had to help her. She was taller than him, but not taller than Sam.
"Let's get started." She said.
Beth didn't answer the questions very well. The truth was, she just didn't remember anything about herself. Throughout all the little tests, Sam just watched. Her eyes were a pure blue, unlike his.
"Well it looks like you're in good condition." Said the Doctor. "Any plans on where you're going?"
Beth shook her head. She didn't know.
"Maybe these will help." Said the Doctor handing her a paper. The flash of memories coming back was too much, she gripped her head in pain.
"I…remember. Checkered suit shot me. Had a…poker chip?" She asked.
"Something like that." Said Sam.
"Well I can't have you wandering around naked and helpless." Said the Doctor. Beth blushed; all she was wearing was a hospital nightgown. The Doctor went into another room, and came back with some items.
"This here is a Pip-Boy, I don't need it anymore. Your friend seems to have one too." Said Mitchell. "Here's a Vault Jumpsuit too. It was my wife's. You're around the same size."
Sam noticed the number on the Vault jumpsuit. 21. His heart skipped a beat.
"Doc, you don't happen to know where Vault 21 is do you?"
The Doctor looked at him quizzically.
"It's in the New Vegas strip. Won't do you much good going there though. Most of it's cemented."
"Did you used to live there?" asked Sam, excitement gone.
"Once. A long time ago." He said. His tone was different. Memorable? Mournful?
The Doctor also handed Beth a gun. A Colt M1911. Smaller caliber than a 10mm, but more reliable according to a magazine Sam had read.
"Well that's it." The Doctor said. "I take it you two won't be traveling together?"
Sam and Beth glanced at each other. Sam shrugged.
"I don't know much about the Mojave. But I do know how to fight." Said Sam.
"That makes two of us." Said Beth.
"Then it's settled. You two can travel together." Said the Doctor. "You might want to drop by the Saloon, talk to Sunny Smiles."
Beth and Sam thanked the Doctor, and left the house. It was weird, Sam thought How things turn out.
"I'm going to drop by the shop here." Sam announced. "Do you want anything?"
"No. I'll go to the Saloon, see that Sunny person." Said Beth. "I'll meet you back at the Doctor?"
"Sure." Sam said. He watched her go, and then left for the shop.