Chapter 3 – Closing the Distance

They'd been walking for three days now, camping in abandoned buildings. They'd not come across any Rad-Scorpions, but they'd seen people in the distance.

When they had seen them, they'd hidden themselves, not wanting to get involved.

They'd hunted a strange cow-like animal, with massive curled horns, and roasted a large haunch over their fire. Cass had smoked a lot of the meat too, and had taken some of the smaller bones to make tools out of. She also cured the skin and had wrapped that up and taken it with her too, just in-case.

They'd now stopped above a campsite of some kind, where the golf course had been. They'd seen a sign that said this was Camp Golf, and that some group called NCR were in charge of it.

Dan and Rox had gone to get a closer look, whilst Cass and Shadow were left in charge of Glitch and the twins.

They were telling each other about their lives before the bombs, their parents, schools and jobs. What they did a weekends and who they hung out with, all of that.

Ken and Law were suspended from school for blowing up the boy's toilet, and their parents were going through a divorce. They thought they were going to be split up, and so they'd been planning to run away. The bombs had dropped the day after their sixteenth birthday.

Glitch had been in police custody for hacking into their database to erase his record. He'd got away during the confusion and then Yates had picked him up.

The only one who didn't share was Shadow, who Cass now realised was completely mute. When she asked if he'd always been like that he'd shaken his head and refused to write in the sand about his life.

Cass was going to college to study, and then she was going to go round the world and see everything she could. Oh well, they all had new lives now.

It was nearly nightfall when Dan and Rox returned, panting and with gunshots following them. Urge onwards by the angry shouts the seven headed north once more and didn't stop until they reached another encampment. It looked like a refugee camp, and they hurried to the gate before it closed.

There were a couple of men at the entrance, who waited for them before closing the gates for the night. For the first time in four days, they were with other people.

"Hey there. I'm Bert Gunnarssen, welcome to Aerotech."

Cass turned to look at who had talked to them, and was nearly sick when she saw Bert. What had happened to him? He looked like he was dead, or should be anyway. Like a zombie.

Rox paled, but didn't make a noise, the twins gasped and hid behind Glitch. Dan and Shadow didn't seem to react.

"Em… hey… Bert, was it?" Cass ventured.

"That's me. You guys looking for a place to stay for the night?"

"Yes?" Cass squeaked.

"Follow me then. You can fit three in the tent over there, but if you all want to stick together, as most people do these days, you can use suite 300 over there."

The… man… pointed to a low set building, and Cass waved the group towards it, they hurried onwards and into the building.

Inside the door was a living area to the right, with two small sofas and a coffee table. They sat on them and shut the door tight.

"What the hell was that?" Rox finally got out.

"Um… a nice zombie?" Glitch offered.

Rox clipped him round the ear.

"We could ask him…" Cass mumbled.

The unanimous vote was no.

They settled down to sleep, but Cass kept watch all night, and didn't allow herself any rest until morning.

Dan and Shadow went out to explore Aerotech and Cass finally got some sleep. When she woke next it was late afternoon, and the smell of food brought her out of the empty house/office and into the main courtyard.

It seemed that there was a group barbeque going on, so Cass wandered through the small crowd trying to find her team.

She came across Glitch hanging out with some guys near suite 200.

"Hey! Who's the babe Glitch?" asked a man in a dirty red jacket.

"That's Cass, the leader of the group I mentioned. She's pretty cool."

Cass stepped over to them and leaned on Glitch's shoulder.

"I don't remember being called leader now Glitch, who's your friend?"

"I'm Keith, nice to meet 'cha' Cass."

"Hi Keith."

"You wanting anything?"

"What? You're the one who called me over here…"

"Come with me, I'll show you something good." Keith got up and Glitch followed him into suite 200, waving Cass to follow him.

Inside the room, next to the door was a barrel of burning books and a couple of ragged-looking men. Glitch and Keith were heading down the corridor and into one of the rooms at the back. Cass hurried to catch them up, feeling uncomfortable.

Cass reached the room and looked inside. Keith waved something at her.

"50 caps and these chems are yours."

Cass looked at him blankly.

"Caps are money now Cass." Glitch said eagerly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bottle cap with 'Sunset Sarsaparilla' written on it.

She frowned at Keith and then back at Glitch.

She grabbed Glitch's arm and dragged him out of the room and out of the building, she took him back to suite 300 and threw him onto one of the sofas.

Rox and the twins were there, Shadow was in a dark corner, and Dan followed the pair inside, his arms full of food.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Cass yelled at the younger boy, "You freaking idiot!"

"What's going on?" Dan asked.

"This twit's been taking drugs!"

"What? I never-"

"Don't you try to deny it! I bet if I go ask Keith if he gave you anything he wouldn't say no! You are staying where I can see you, at ALL times now, d'ya hear?"

Glitch fell silent and stared at the floor.

"Shadow, can you check him for needle marks and such. I want to be sure. Then I'm gonna find Zombie Bert and let him know what's going on."

"He's not a zombie… he's a ghoul." Ken/Law whispered.

"Okay, Ghoul Bert then."

Shadow did as he was told and pointed at a mark on Glitch's arm. A needle mark.

Cass was furious. Her father had died of a drug overdose when she was three, and she'd hated them ever since.

"Dan, Shadow, he is not to leave this room, and no one from suite 200 is allowed in til I get back."

She stormed out and found Bert near the tent, standing with another man dressed in army gear.

"Excuse me, Bert, can I have a word?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"You know that guys, Keith? He's been giving drugs to Glitch; he even tried to sell me some!"

"What? Captain Parker, you know what to do."

The man in army gear stomped off towards suite 200. He returned a few moments later with Keith in tow, protesting all the way.

"Thanks for this… um…"

"Cass."

"Thanks Cass. We've been trying to get him for a while, but never had any proof. You've done us a good favour there."

Cass nodded and headed back to suite 300.

Glitch was on the floor, Rox was sitting on him, and Dan had a bloody nose.

"What's going on here then?" Cass glowered.

"Little shit punched me and tried to escape."

Cass grabbed some twine from her pack and bound Glitch's hands behind his back, and tied his ankles together, then tied his wrists and ankles together.

"You are not going anywhere, d'ya hear? Keith's being dealt with, and you're not getting anywhere near anymore chems, ever."

Glitch didn't say anything, but he did start to cry.

Cass and the others had no sympathy for him, and left him trussed up on the sofa while they ate. Before going to sleep that night, Cass untied his ankles, but instead kept the boy tied to the sofa she was sleeping on, so that he couldn't go anywhere without her knowing about it.

The following morning, Cass suggested they move on, and the others agreed, wanting to be away from Aerotech.

They waved goodbye to Bert and Parker at the gate, and turned north once more heading for the New Vegas strip.

They travelled all day until they find something called Gun Runners. They wait until dark before moving in for a closer look, and find a stall with a robot inside, a Vendortron. They wonder what to do for a bit, they need shelter, but the Strip isn't that far away. Leaving Gun Runners behind, they head for the lights of the rebuilt city.

"Hey you!" shouts a male voice as they pass a building emblazoned with neon.

A man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, with dirty blonde hair and a leather jacket waves at them.

Cass pauses, unsure of what to do, but Rox steps over and shouts back.

"What d'you want?"

"I was thinking a pretty gal like you could do with some company."

Rox gasped and looked ready to kill, but Cass stepped in and aimed her shotgun at the man.

"Back off buddy, or you'll be pissing blood the rest of your life."

"Woah now, I was only messin', I didn't mean no harm. This here's Kings Territory, all of Freeside is, and I was just wanting to tell you to be careful."

"Well now you have. Goodbye."

Cass turned back to her team, pulling a still angry Rox behind her, but stopped when she heard running footsteps. She turned to see a dog running by, a partially mechanical dog, and two young men chasing it.

"Rex! Get back here!" they shouted.

Cass smiled and went down on one knee.

"Here boy, come on boy, come to me, that's it, gooooood boy!" Cass called and cooed. Rex came to her and sat by her as she petted him.

"Aw, thanks miss. We've been chasing him all over."

"It's okay." Cass replied simply, still petting the dog.

"The King'll be real happy with ya for that, he will."

"It's no problem, really."

"Is there anything we can do for you and your mates there?"

"Um… we could do with a place to stay…"

"Done! Follow me miss, I'm Sergio by the way, the King's barber. I hope Pacer weren't causing you any trouble."

"I dealt with it."

Sergio smiled and led them into the neon covered building, up a set of stairs and into a large room with some beds in it.

"You can stay here tonight, but be out by morning, 'k?"

"Got it."

They were left alone, with just four beds between them; they were going to have to share.

The twins leapt onto the bed the farthest from the door, and Rox and Glitch onto the next one.

Dan and Shadow took the last two, and both glanced at Cass, wondering what bed she'd choose.

"I'm gonna keep watch tonight, okay?"

"No. You need to rest, I'll keep watch." Dan frowned, realising that Cass wouldn't choose either of them.

He liked her, he didn't know why, but she just made him feel sane.

Shadow glared at Dan, but it went unnoticed by Cass this time, she was too busy trying to refuse Dan's bed.

"Don't make me tie you to the bed Cass, just go to sleep; I'll stay up all night."

Cass finally backed-down and lay on the bed, she lay on her right side and saw Rox and Glitch curled up together… when had that happened? Not wanting to see the soppy, couple stuff, she rolled to her left and met the intense gaze of Shadow. Dan was outside the door, the door closed, and Cass felt somewhat vulnerable in the silence.

Shadow sat up, still looking in her eyes and leaned over to her. She froze, unsure what to do, and just watched him move closer.

"I like you."

He kissed her forehead and then moved back to his bed, and faced the wall.

Cass shivered, but it wasn't from the cold.

His voice! It was like liquid silver, so smooth and deep, so seductive! She'd never heard anything like it. She shivered just remembering it, and sat up slowly.

"Shadow…?" She whispered.

He turned around and looked at her.

"What's your real name…?"

"… Sotirios…"

"Sotirios?"

"It's Greek for salvation…"

Cass smiled at him after a moment.

"Hello Sotirios."

He smiled back at her and turned to go to sleep as she did.

For some reason she felt a lot better, like there wasn't any stress any more, and she drifted into dreamland happily.

(AN - Next chapter is in the works, tell me what you think so far!)