I was walking tipped forward, trying to balance the bulky robot that was strapped to my pack. It was uncomfortable, but there was no way I was leaving him behind. I chuckled at my loyalty to a bit of scrap metal but then I reminded myself that he had saved my life countless times. Of course I was attached.

As my mind drifted, I considered what Ghost had told me. She hadn't heard from Nipton in a while and there was smoke coming from that direction. I noted that there was a little smoke wafting above the town, but I hoped that I wouldn't run into too much trouble. Especially with ED-E out for the count.

Suddenly I wondered why I had agreed to check on the town. What if I ran into something really really bad? I shook my head to clear my mind when my thoughts were scattered anyway by a man loping towards me at full speed.

He wore a huge grin on his face ant his eyes were wild, if not manic.

"Can you smell that air! Holy shit!" He gasped, chuckling a little.

I just stared, my eyes saucers.

He paused to catch his breath, still letting out quiet laughs.

"Are you okay?" I asked, thinking that he had to be on something.

"Yeah," he said in a 'duh' tone of voice. "You're looking at the first place winner of the lottery! Whoo!"

I flinched as his voice rose suddenly in a shriek of joy. "Which lottery? How much did you win?" I took a half step back.

"What are you stupid?" I glared. "The only lottery that matters."

"Uh, right." I side stepped around him. "My mistake." I drifted past him, looking over my shoulder and offering a tiny wave with my thumbs still hooked around the straps of my bag.

"Later!" He waved as if he was full of cocky energy and then took off running again, that same strange grin on his face.

I stared after him with my jaw clenched uncomfortably before turning back around and finally taking in the sight of the town.

Everything was charred. Windows were smashed and when I looked down the road, I seen several men lined up, hooting and hollering in excitement along rows of crucified people.

My thoughts ground to a halt as I processed what was before me.

I took a step back, my mind reeling.

Then I met eyes with a man in a fox hat standing at the door of what I figured was the Town Hall. He was wearing sunglasses, but I could feel his eyes on me and see his head turned in my direction. I cautiously took a few steps forward, anger boiling in my chest.

I heart a weak groan from a man that had been strung up to my left. A cold chill ran through me when I realized he was still alive.

I pulled out my pistol and looked the man with the fox hat and aimed. At the crucified man.

I put a bullet through his head and then moved onto the next victim. I continued with this until I was sure that they were all dead and unable to suffer further.

I strode forwards towards the man and noticed the others had stopped their hooting and were all staring at me.

I raised my chin and met their gazes coldly. Anyone capable of this was definitely beneath me.

I finally stopped in front of what I figured was their leader. I didn't say anything, just stared, waiting to hear his reaction to my behavior.

"Ave," He muttered softly.

"Owie?" I furrowed my brows bewildered and amused simultaneously.

"It's a Latin greeting," He responded frostily.

"Well owie to you too," I grunted, folding my arms over my chest. "What the hell happened here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He lifted his hands in a sweeping gesture as if showing me some beautiful landscape.

"Yeah. The good ol' fashioned torture and slaughter combination."

I expected him to slap me, stab me, or shoot me, however, I was surprised when he chuckled lightly. "This town harbored NCR citizens and soldiers. They were tucked safely away for the night helping themselves to the town's whores. Then I offered them a cash reward to help set a trap for the NCR and they obliged. Only when it was too late did they realize that they were ensnared in the trap as well."

"Hmm," I responded. "So they were assholes."

He didn't respond.

"It doesn't make you any better, however."

He took a step forward and grabbed me by the hair.

I knew I should be afraid. I knew I shouldn't have prodded him, but something in me didn't want to let go. I had given into impulse even as I knew it was wrong and I had foolishly let myself be controlled by emotion. Now I began to feel some fear.

He pulled off his sunglasses and jerked my head back so that I was forced to meet his eyes. A satisfied smirk crossed his face as he noted my changed expression. "Don't worry," He purred. "I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's actually useful that you happened by." He jerked on my hair and gripped my shoulder, forcing me into a kneeling position.

I glared up at him.

"The one man I set free, he's a coward. True he might run to the NCR, but part of me doubts that he will live to make it that far. I don't have much faith in his survival abilities. I need someone to tell everyone of what happened here."

"That's where I come in," I ground out, my scalp aching from where he gripped my hair.

"Indeed. It would be healthy for you to agree to tell the tale of what you saw here." Suddenly he jerked me upright and dragged me towards the crucified bodies. "Take in everything that you see. These people were nothing more than profligate whores and they paid the price. They knew nothing of loyalty. When I began drawing lottery tickets, they stood by while their loved ones were dragged away in hopes that their tickets would save them. They outnumbered us. Yet they only cared selfishly for their own individual survival." He suddenly let go of my hair and gave me a rough shove.

I landed hard and got a mouthful of dirt. I immediately scrambled to my feet and faced him again, feeling blood trickle down my chin where I had bitten my lip.

"Unless you want to be hunted down to share their fate, I suggest you do as we ask."

I rubbed the blood from my chin. "Yeah, sure."

He glared at me.

"I'll do it, okay?"

"Good," His voice came out in a smooth purr that sounded almost seductive.

I shivered at the effect it had on me, feeling uncomfortable that he could make me feel anything other than revulsion.

"I hope we get to meet again," He cooed, running a hand gently down my cheek and letting his fingers trail over the flesh of my neck and over my shoulder towards my breast.

My face heating, I took a step back, fists clenched.

"I bid you vale."

"Yeah, whatever," I grunted, feeling my temple throb near where I had been shot.