Sorry for the long wait everyone but here it is Chapter Ten, anyway not that many of you probably care but ive had lost of drama going on lately so i havent been in the greatest mood but since the person im writing for has finally gotten back on Facebook im in a better mood and ready to write again.
James, Ashlyn, Rufus, ED-E and Veronica all walked in the general direction of New Vegas; the place where Ashlyn would finally find answers and maybe even revenge. It was about ten in the morning and the large group had made much progress since the surprise attack from the Legionary Assassin since they where now able to see Freeside off in the distance only about a half a mile away.
"Finally." James said to himself.
"What's that James?" Ashlyn asked over hearing James.
"We just finally made it. Normally it only takes me and Rufus about two hours to travel this distance." The Ranger said looking at Ashlyn as he walked.
"Well you are with people now and we walk at different speeds." Ashlyn said slightly upset that James was basically calling her dead weight.
"Yeah, that is true." James said "Sorry for acting like you're a burden."
"It's fine I completely understand you're point of view here." Ashlyn said keeping her usually cheery tone.
"But you are a slowpoke." Veronica said to Ashlyn.
"Thanks." said Ashlyn sarcastically.
"You're welcome." Veronica said with a comical grin.
"So James I know it's kinda late to ask this, but why are we going through Freeside and not throughCampMcCarran?" Ashlyn asked.
"I'm not supposed to be with you remember? So we're gonna get passports in Freeside." James said in response.
"But how will we get one in Freeside?" Both Ashlyn and Veronica asked.
"Well ladies the answer to that is simple. Buy them." James said with a grin mocking the two women.
Veronica and Ashlyn didn't respond due to the fact they began to wrack their brains trying to understand how they were going to buy a passport in Freeside.
The group reached Freeside's east gate and were greeted by some members of the gang that governed Freeside, the Kings. James simply nodded towards the men dressed in fifties-esque clothing along with a hair style to match as he pushed open the large gate into the slum that was Freeside.
The sights inside Freeside were somewhat common in the wasteland based on the structural conditions of the buildings. Though it was the people that inhabited these buildings that made this an uncommon sight; most in the wasteland did live rather healthy lives due to having access to large amounts of resources at little to no danger to themselves. James noted his surroundings as he normally would as all of his other human companions looked at the whole sight in disgust and hatred for the ones who put these people in such a situation. Without warning James pulled out Hail Storm and fired one round.
"Ah! What the hell!" Ashlyn said clutching her ears that were now ringing from the echoing shot.
James pointed to a dead rat about twenty-five yards away.
The remainder of the group all looked at the dead rat and saw children begin to butcher it. The whole sight would have normally made people slightly disgusted but it was James who had obviously done this purposely to help the children who were unable to catch the rodent.
"James how in the hell did a guy like you become a ranger?" Ashlyn asked still dumbfounded as to how someone as nice as James could be with a group of relatively cold killing machines.
"I could shoot better than anyone, scout better, hide better and kill more efficiently." James said spinning Hail Storm around his index finger.
"But you're way too nice to be like all the other rangers." Ashlyn said looking back to Veronica to confirm that she too felt the same way.
Veronica nodded to Ashlyn as James began to speak again
"I know, but I'm different from all of them because of my upbringing." James said as he remembered his home.
"I still haven't asked you where you're from have I?" Ashlyn asked.
"I'll tell you where I'm from if I need to, I'm related to some events that have killed many and I'm not so proud of it." James said finally holstering the revolver that is a relic of his past.
"Okay." Ashlyn said as she patted James shoulder lightly "So where are we getting the passports anyway?"
"Mick & Ralph's." James said as he walked the hundred feet to said building.
James opened the door to the shop allowing both Ashlyn and Veronica to go before him. Motioning for both Rufus and ED-E to wait outside he walked in to join his female companions. The inside of the shop was dimly lit and two men occupied it; Mick in the back of the building and Ralph at the counter in front.
"Ashlyn and Veronica go talk to Mick while I get the stuff we need from Ralph." James said "Oh, buy me some .357 rounds if you would I'm starting to run low."
"Okay, is there anything you want us to sell of yours though?" Ashlyn asked.
"Yea sell these .357s that I have. You can keep the money since I'm just along for the ride." James said tossing Ashlyn a small pouch containing three .357 revolvers.
"Ralph I hear you can sell me passports." James stated.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ralph responded calmly.
"Look I know it's obvious I'm NCR but I need them to get into New Vegas myself." James said slightly pleading to the man.
"You seem trustworthy enough; they're five hundred caps a piece." Ralph said.
"I hate having stuff cost five hundred caps…." James said putting his palm to his forehead and sighing.
"Anyway I could do some work to get three of them?" James asked.
"No, but maybe if you help The King you can get enough caps to buy them." Ralph said giving James an alternative.
"Then I've got to speak to The King it seems." James said as he began to walk to Ashlyn and Veronica.
"We've got lots of work to do before we can get the passports." James said as he stood beside the women.
"Why?" Ashlyn asked "Will he not sell us them without helping him?"
"No, they cost five hundred caps each." James said.
"Wonderful." Veronica said.
"Well what kind of work do we have to do?" Ashlyn asked.
"Ralph said The King might be able to provide us with the caps." James said hitching his thumb over his shoulder towards where The King place was located.
"Well I guess we'd better get over there and get to work." Ashlyn said holding out a bag towards James.
"Ammo?" James asked.
"And caps from the .357s." Ashlyn said as James finally took the bag.
"I said you could keep them you know." James said slightly curious as to why she didn't take the free money.
"I know but this way you can buy yourself more without having to ask me for money." Ashlyn said as she began to walk to the exit of Mick & Ralph's "But I did take out the cost of the thirty-two rounds I bought you."
The group walked out of the shop and met up with their canine and robotic companion. James did a quick way and both ED-E and Rufus started to follow him as he began to walk in front of Ashlyn leading the way to The Kings residence. James rounded the corner of the street that intersected the street Mick & Ralph's shop was located on and saw the large fort that took up most of what some considered the center of Freeside, Old Mormon Fort.
"Don't the Followers of the Apocalypse control that place?" James asked pointing to the fort.
"Last I knew they did." said Veronica.
"My mom was a Follower." Ashlyn said as she walked up to James' side.
"She was? Does that mean you're technically one?" James asked.
"I'll tell you about everything some other day." Ashlyn said having lost her cheery tone when she mentioned her mother "It's something I only tell a few people."
"That's fine Ashlyn we've all got stuff in our past we don't care to talk about. Considering I did the same thing as you just did earlier." James said with a smile trying to cheer up Ashlyn.
"Yea you're right." She responded.
Instead of walking to the secondary gate to the part of Freeside with the gate to New Vegas James began to walk towards the entrance of Old Mormon Fort.
"Shouldn't we do some work for The King?" Veronica asked.
"I'm with Veronica here." Ashlyn stated.
"Well, here's how I see it. The Followers are nice people but the have lots of problems helping people that need help. So we're going to help them first." James said with a smile.
"You're too kind for your own good you know that right?" Ashlyn asked.
"I know." James said with a chuckle.
James pounded on the giant wooden door of the fort to get someone to open it from the inside. Within a minute the door to the right was opened by two male mercenaries hired by the Followers for protection inside the fort. James nodded to the men as he led the group into the fort.
"So who's the boss here?" James asked loudly.
"That would beme." a woman with a brown Mohawk and a Followers white lab coat said.
"And you're name is?" James asked as the woman closed the distance between herself and the group.
"Julie Farkas at your service." Julie said "You're NCR aren't you?"
"Formerly and my names James by the way." James said "This is Ashlyn, Veronica, Rufus and ED-E."
"Nice to meet you all." Julie said as she shook Rufus' paw as he put it up for her to shake.
"We're looking to help out anyway we can but we would like to be paid if you can spare the caps." James said "We're trying to get into New Vegas."
"Well do any of you have medical experience? We could really use some extra doctors for a couple days." Julie said.
"Ashlyn did you learn anything from your mom?" James asked.
"I'm trained in basic first aid, setting broken bones and I know how to cure some addictions." The Courier said proud that she could use what her mother taught her.
"Wonderful!" Julie exclaimed "You'll be so much help here!"
"I hope I can do some good while I'm here." Ashlyn said with a smile.
"James you could help with the supply caravans they can always use an extra hand." Julie said "And Veronica you can help take care of some problems around Freeside."
"Sounds good." Veronica and James said in unison.
"If you work hard you should be able to make about eight-hundred caps this week." Julie said.
"Ashlyn how many caps do you have?" James asked.
"About three-hundred after selling all of the stuff back in Novac, what about you?" Ashlyn asked back.
"Only a hundred." James said somewhat astonished that Ashlyn had so much money.
"Well I'm sure we can find stuff to sell between you and Veronica since she'll be around Freeside and you'll be defending some caravans." Ashlyn said "Unless Veronica has a stash of about three-hundred addition caps."
"I'm flat broke, sorry." Veronica said in response.
"Well then, you two had better kill some bad people while you're helping out and get some weapons to sell or else we will have to help The King after all." Ashlyn said.
"Don't worry; I know how to fix up weapons without destroying another one." Veronica said.
"We'll be in New Vegas in a week it seems." James said "So Julia how long do I have to wait to go out with a caravan?"
"Well tomorrow we've got a caravan going to the Followers outpost to get some statistics and spare medical supplies." Julie said "And I can fill Veronica in on what she needs to do tomorrow also. Oh, I almost forgot you all can share that empty tent to the left of the entrance until you've made enough money to get into New Vegas."
"Well we can start working around Freeside today if you want." James suggested.
"If you would you could try to convince Bill Ronte and Jacob Hoff to try to kick their addiction?" Julie asked "And take care of the drug dealer calledDixon. I'd like you to try to stop selling all together but if you can just get him to stop selling to Bill and Jacob that would be good enough for now."
"Can do Ma'am." James said miming a hat tip "Rufus lets go. Ashlyn and Veronica you two can stay here if you want or join me either way is fine."
"We'll stay and set up the tent along with helping out as much as we can here." Ashlyn said.
"Sounds like a plan." James said as he walked towards the giant wooden doors to leave the fort.