8. Trapped in a trap

Simple was an obedient dog in all her life. Now she ran straight home, but when she saw the gate open, she immediately knew that they have an uninvited guest.

She ran inside barking to drive out the person out of the house, but arriving in the living room she stopped, and sitting instantly, she intended to give a paw, while she started to bark softly. After a short time a man in leather armor came down from upstairs.

"Simple!" a man went beside the dog, caressing the loyal animal on its head. "Long time no see, old girl! Where's your master?"

Simple looked out beyond the gate, then she shook her tail.

"So she's not home?" frowned the short-haired man's face. "Now, listen to me, my friend... You stay here, and I'm going to look for her, I'll bring her back, and you'll stay here, until I come back. You'll take care of her, you mongrel, 'cause if I see her in Nipton, I'll eviscerate you!"

The dog whined, grabbing her paw out of the man's hand. He felt the threat in the man's voice, so she backed up a few steps, then she began to bark.

"Correct!" he smiled. "One more thing: look at this, pooch!" he said and then he took out from his backpack a red shirt, and thrust under the dog's nose. "If you see anyone approaching, who's wearing this, just go in front of him, and show him that!" he then in the next second put a round pendant on the neck of the dog.

"From now on, you're wearing the mark of Caesar. You have to know, that this is not a game anymore! So, be a good dog, and protect Melinda! But I'll tell you a secret… Her real name is Stella".

The poor dog was totally confused. Back in a moment Vulpes was approaching her threateningly, and now he's back to normal, just how the good, old girl had meet him in the past.

She sniffed the chain hanging around her neck, but that was what Vulpes had taken advantage of. The man saw that the dog's not watching, so he quickly ran out of the room, shut the door, and when Simple went to open it, but she had to realize, that the door's locked from the outside.

The man followed back the trail, toward the road, leading Simple's tracks. He thought the he'll soon meet the girl, but he was wrong. He reached the minefield, but couldn't find a trace of her.

He saw smoke at a close range, so he continued his way at that direction. Reaching at a rocky place, he saw several coyote corpses, and a little further, he observed the source of the smoke, the epicenter was full of scorched and scattered clothes. He recognized his own uniform among the remains.

His eyes widened, then he looked around, but since he saw no one around, he shouted: "Melinda! Melinda, are you here?"

He sighed angrily then started to run, following the recent human traces. He lost the last traces, when he got to the ruins of the former highway, but evidently the only direction, where the traces left was that one leading to Nipton.

Vulpes sighed one more time, after that he started running toward the town. Halfway he observed his men, as they followed his command, marching in military behavior straight to their destination.

As he looked around, he did not see anywhere Melinda, but was aware, that there, in the middle of the desert, he can not bypass his men, so he went next to a ruined building and changed as fast as he could. When he finished, he reached his men, and leaded them to the town of Nipton.

He searched for Melinda in all their way, thinking that if he can catch her on the move, he can leave an apprentice next to supervise her, and after they finished their business in the town, he will decide what to do with her as well. However this plan remained just a plan.

There was nothing to be done, so he gave the order to collect all the town's inhabitants, while he went to visit the mayor.

He believed that there will be more gun or rifle shots, but the men worked quick and efficient, and by the time he reached the mayor's office, the legionaries herded together the town's people.

Steyn looked out of the window with a pale face, when Vulpes opened the door. To remain recognizable, he lowered the dog head, left on him only the goggles.

„Oh, you're here, Mr. Steyn!" said Vulpes, and for the sake of good manners, he knocked on the open door.

"Mr. Fox, but what in the world is going on here? You promised that to pay us, when the Powder Gangers captures the NCR soldiers!"

"And I was not lying, Mr. Steyn. Look, your payment's on the desk, my mayor!"

"But, Mr. Fox, there are the lottery tickets what you've ordered!"

"As I said, your payment, mayor! The one, who will win the lottery, will earn the 8000 caps as well. Just as we discussed!"

"But that's not what we've discussed!"

"You like to gamble, didn't you!? One of the tickets is winning! But which is it? Come on mayor, try your luck!"

The mayor was certainly unimpressed but the Ripper in the hand of the man hidden under the head of a dog has proven to be effective enough to keep Mr. Steyn's opinion to himself. He was instead forced by the legionnaire to walk toward the stairs. However as soon as the man walked out of his office, it could be heard a shot inside the town hall.

The man in suits came to a halt, while the Legionnaire allowed his weapon to the man's clothing that the Ripper cut the back on the overcoat. The mayor felt his suit tense at the back, as the material cracked. But Vulpes's voice echoed even louder in his ear.

"Mayor, let's move a bit faster! I do not have all day!" He said and pushed forward the man.

As they stepped out of the shadows, they saw a shadow moving under the stairs. A big dog chased the shadow, and a little later came a woman's scream, followed by a loud growling sound.

Stepping out, the mayor immediately looked toward the sound and watched in astonishment as the dog frantically tearing apart the already lifeless body.

He looked back frightened, but then he met another dog's head, even if the truth is that it was only a decoration on Vulpes's head. The man already put his Ripper away. With one hand he grabbed the man, who was a half head shorter then him, and pushed him forward.

"W-What's going on…" mumbled Steyn, with fear in his eyes.

"The profligate didn't want to take part in the game. She was not interested in the lottery jackpot. I hope, my mayor, that you do not think that way as well. Let's give a chance to life…"

"B-b-but…"

"Just run away quietly, the Hounds also love to run. And you already saw how fast they can. But if you run away, or try to fight against us, you will certainly… hear?" he patted the mayor's shoulder while below there could be heard the barking of the mongrels, in addition to the gunshots. "This will be your reward instead of thrills and the fabulous eight thousand caps!"

Eight thousand caps? In Steyn's mind only those two words, this amount remained. He almost saw in front of him the immense amount of caps… The man can almost swim in it. And how many things can do with them the man. That was more to him than appealing. He almost forgot the danger and terror, what he saw was only the prize on his mind.

Vulpes escorted him down. There could be seen another legionnaires, not only the mongrels. The frumentarius handed a bag to one of the legionnaires, in which were the lottery tickets. He ordered the man to go outside and if everyone's herded in one place, they can begin to allocate the tickets.

The Legionnaires immediately obeyed the order, and by the time the two of them came out into the open, all were ready to start the "lottery".

A terrible game was about to start, however, this was known only by the legionnaires.

Vulpes told the rules of the game, and incredible, but many of the curious locals were convinced that if they play, they will win an enormous prize. Of course, they were not aware that they were playing for their lives instead of caps...

As the frumentarius told the rules of the game, he was looking around between the captivated. His eyes caught a moment in around the middle of the crowd.

Melinda was kneeling between two women. She sat staring in front of her, and apparently did not caught, anything from the outside world.

Vulpes's eyes widened when he noticed the girl. He prayed to not see her on that day, especially not in the town's main square. But now she was there, waiting for punishment. Why? Maybe because she was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, or maybe because she was one of the many profligates? No, she was a legionnaire, but she was unaware of it. Or she already got her memories back? You'll get your answer in the following chapter!