The horizon was starting to show the first hints of light. Dawn was approaching.

Boone jerked awake at the sound of footsteps and sleeping bags rustling as the group was prepping their items for their trek. He noticed that Maya was gone.

"Maya?" he called with some clear concern in his voice.

"She's gone with Watkins to clean up" McNamara answered, giving him a look that was a cross between distaste and disappointment. The rest of the group began changing into their original Brotherhood clothing that they wore before they entered the Old Mormon Fort. McNamara was already dressed in his appropriate Brotherhood uniform. He strode over to Boone; there were a couple of points he needed to clarify with him.

"I…appreciate your concern, and care, for her" he began, "but…I have to wonder…why you're still here?".

Boone was on his feet and met McNamara's gaze. "You forget that you still need my help" Boone reminded him.

"Do I?" McNamara tested him, "we've got everything under control. In case you haven't noticed, we're about to take back Hidden Valley".

Boone didn't like the overconfidence in McNamara's attitude. After all, nothing was certain.

"You don't know that, you just have a small piece of intel about what is going on there" Boone replied, "For all you know, this is a trap, and they're using your belief that they don't know about the service tunnel to lure you in".

"Ibsen and I are the only ones who know about that tunnel, and we made sure that information was encrypted in our system"

"Yeah? How do you know that they didn't crack your encryption?" Boone interjected, "They had an entire unit there, probably turned your bunker inside out".

McNamara didn't appreciate his tone or the challenge on his authority. But Boone is an outsider and hardly knows anything about the Brotherhood, so he let it slide this one time.

"Boone, I realise you have reservations. But I don't. I know they won't find it. This is the plan. Either you're with us…or not", McNamara stated, "If you're not, then I suggest you leave".

"I'm here to help Maya get home…to her own time" Boone said defiantly, letting McNamara know his big secret.

McNamara turned to face him, his eyes bulging with anger, "What did you say?!"

Taking his aviators off to look McNamara squarely in the eyes, Boone re-iterated "I said I know Maya is from the past, and she wants to go home."

McNamara's face was burning, he was furious. 'How could she tell him?!' he thought angrily. This was supposed to be a secret, who knows who he told now, it probably reached NCR headquarters.

"Who else have you shared this information with?" McNamara whispered heatedly, moving to within an inch of Boone's face "Huh? Did you tell your NCR buddies about this? I bet they'd love to interrogate Maya, get her to do their bidding"

The fact that McNamara would even implicate that Boone would risk Maya's safety made him doubt his true intentions. If that was true, he and McNamara were going to have a serious problem.

"No one. You of all people should know that" Boone replied with a cold threatening glare. "My presence here is to help Maya get back, I have no hidden agenda. But if I find out that you have some other thing planned for her, I'm going to do a lot more than exchange empty threats with you". Boone could see a vein bulging on McNamara's forehead.

"Fine" he whispered, "but if I find out you've jeopardised my people and this mission…I'll kill you myself"

"Only make threats you intend to keep" Boone replied, his expression defiant and cold.

They didn't realise that the entire group had stopped what they were doing and were watching them. Some had their hands placed on their weapons, ready to act if necessary; and Maya was standing less than ten feet away from them with Watkins. Her skin was pale and her eyes wide with shock; she heard everything.

McNamara turned to face Maya and threw her an angry glare as he stormed off, deliberately bumping into her with his shoulder as he passed her by.

The group silently collected their belongings and started marching again towards Hidden Valley, with McNamara and Ibsen leading the group at the front and Maya and Boone trailing at the back.

About three hours into their trek they reached Scorpion Gulch. There they found a hatch cleverly concealed on the ground. McNamara entered a seven digit security number, unlocked the service hatch, and ushered them all in.

They descended down a metal ladder about ten feet before reaching the bottom. Red emergency lights illuminated a long concrete corridor, although some of them appeared to be out further down.

"This is it. This should lead us straight into the bunker" said Ibsen, checking his PipBoy.

"Come on" McNamara urged, leading the group forward into a jog.

About half way through the tunnel, Maya heard Ibsen call out in the front.

"Wait!" Maya could hear what sounded like Geiger counter clicking.

"What's going on?" McNamara asked.

"I….I don't know" Ibsen sounded confused, "There shouldn't be radiation here but…there is". He studied his PipBoy, "Wait here" he told them as he took a couple of steps forward. The Geiger counter clicks increased steadily with every few steps he took, until he was about forty feet away from them. They could all hear the echo of the clicks going off rapidly and consistently.

"This can't be possible" yelled Ibsen, "the entire area is flooded with radiation; we can't go past this point".

Then they heard a terrifying gurgling sound up ahead. Ibsen froze.

"Ghouls! Get out of there!" yelled McNamara, but before Ibsen could move a horrifyingly disfigured creature attacked him from the darkness, tackling Ibsen to the ground and proceeded to pummel him with its fists. Maya gasped, it looked like a terrifyingly disfigured human with no hair, dead eyes, and mottled and burnt skin that appeared to be glowing slightly and it didn't appear to have any lips…

"Oh my god…" she gasped, petrified.

Boone pulled out his 10mm and with pinpoint precision shot the thing between the eyes. McNamara ran to Ibsen and helped him up.

"Come on, run!" he yelled as they heard more zombie like gurgling and moaning down the hall.

The group ran back the way they came and up the stairs, the ghouls in hot pursuit just behind them.

McNamara and Boone took the rear, shooting down the abominations that were right on their tail. Watkins was the first to climb up the stairs, followed by Maya. The Paladin opened up the hatch and flooded the tunnel with bright light. All of a sudden…

*Bang*

Watkins groaned and choked as she reached for her chest. A splatter of hot red blood covered Maya from head to waist just behind her.

"NO!" Maya gasped, trying to grab hold of her as her body crumpled forward, leaving her legs dangling down the shaft. The bullet went through her heart, she was dead. Before Maya could react another gunshot was heard and the bullet this time ricocheted off the wall behind Maya and into her shoulder. She gasped in pain and shock as her hand impulsively let go of the metal bar she was holding onto. If Ramos hadn't caught her, she would have fallen all the way down.

"Sniper! Down, down!" yelled Ramos to those following behind him as another gun shot was heard outside and a twang as the bullet bounced off the metal hatch.

Boone and McNamara had almost taken out all of the Ghouls, there was only one left and they despatched it together without much trouble using their combat knives.

Maya was slowly lowered down, along with Watkins' lifeless body. She was starting to feel the full force of her injury, and she couldn't help but scream out in agony.

Still panting from the fight, Boone turned around and his worst nightmare was revealed: seeing Maya covered in blood and cradling a gunshot wound.

"Maya!" he called out, reaching down to have a look at her injury. His eyes were wide with anger and deadly intent. "Did you see them?" he asked calmly.

Maya nodded, "A silhouette. On top of the rock face on the right. Saw the flash of his muzzle" she gasped.

"Okay, good" he said, "let's see that wound" he turned her over gently to see the back of her shoulder while Ramos cradled her head. Maya gritted her teeth in pain, refusing to cry out despite the tears rolling down her cheeks.

'Shit…' thought Boone. No exit wound. The bullet had fractured when it bounced off the concrete and multiple shards went through her shoulder blade and were stuck in the muscle. If they couldn't get the shards out, she could develop an infection and go into septic shock. And if by some miracle she didn't get an infection, then the metal could carry on doing damage to her tissues underneath every time she moved that arm.

"Alright" Boone exhaled and turned Maya back, "you're going to be okay" he tried to reassure her. Taking his canister of water out, he poured some water over her face to wash the blood off. Her hair though was covered in Watkins' blood. She started sobbing as the blood came off her face.

"Shh, it's okay, hey" he cradled her, "we're gonna get out of here, don't worry".

"She's dead. She's dead, I couldn't help her" Maya gasped, repeating the sentence over and over. Boone recognised the shock she was going through and tried to calm her down.

"Hey, look at me. I'm gonna get the son of a bitch, you hear me?" a rage burned in his eyes for those that had attacked his group. "I'm gonna go put a bullet in his brain" he muttered through gritted teeth.

McNamara stood next to them, bloodied and panting from the fight with the ghouls, a desolate and defeated expression on his face.

"You were right" he managed to say, "it was a trap…I should have… listened".

Boone didn't have the patience to deal with him right now. He pulled out his combat knife that was lodged in the skull of one of the ghouls, grabbed a grenade from his duffle bag and holstered his 10mm and furiously made his way up the ladder. He leapt out the hatch and immediately heard gunfire and a bullet zip past over his head.

'You fucking amateur, I see you' he thought as he sprinted in his direction. Another gunshot and this time the bullet landed less than a hand's breadth from his toes in a plume of dust and debris. Boone pulled the pin from the grenade and threw it with such force above the sniper's head.

Two seconds later came the booming explosion, followed by a scream and thud as the sniper fell from the rock face. Boone launched himself at the attacker who was still alive and scrambling to get away.

"Can't run from me!" yelled Boone as he throttled him to the ground. The sniper was dressed in a black uniform with wires attached to it. The cloth seemed to flicker, as if it was an adaptive camouflage.

'Stealth-boy suit huh? Coward' Boone thought as he drew his knife. He wasn't an expert in hand to hand combat, but he wanted to hurt him with his own two hands before he put a bullet in him. It seemed more…personal that way.

The sniper drew his dagger out as well and staggered to his feet, taking a hunched fighting stance.

Boone launched into him with his left fist followed rapidly by a sideways swipe with his knife, but the sniper dodged both blows. He tried to trip Boone by hooking a foot to the back of his ankle, but Boone twisted away and threw an uppercut that met its target perfectly, knocking the enemy to the ground. Almost snarling, Boone reached down with both hands and grabbed him gruffly, pulling him to his feet. But the sniper wasn't unconscious and he retaliated with a hard head-butt and kick to the stomach. Boone was winded but didn't go down, he staggered away from the attacker and drew his 10mm. The sniper dodged just as Boone pulled the trigger and lashed out with his knife, slicing into his arm. Boone grunted in pain and took another couple of steps back, and just in time too. The enemy slashed at his face in downward diagonal motion, catching a bit of his forehead, eyebrow, and cheek. Blood dribbled down his face and threatened to go into his eye and blind him. Boone's hand reached up and cupped his cut with his left hand, collecting the blood in his palm. As the attacker made another attempt to thrust his blade in between Boone's ribs, a rage filled his entire body. He tossed his blood that had collected in his palm at the enemy's exposed eyes. It was the perfect distraction. The sniper closed his eyes and missed his target. Boone grabbed the attacker's wrist and flipped him onto his back so hard he heard the bones in his arm snap. As the sniper's grip failed, Boone caught the dagger mid-air, twisted it around and plunged it into his enemy's shoulder. A pained cry erupted from the man and he started to cough up blood.

"You're mine" Boone whispered spitefully as he drew his 10mm, took aim, and looked down into his terrified enemy's eyes as he pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the valley, sending crows near the area cawing away.

Boone panted as he watched his eyes glaze over and a crimson stain spread in the dirt behind his head, like a halo for the wicked.

"Urngh" he grunted in pain as the adrenaline surge started to wane and he became painfully aware of his wounds. He scanned the area for any other possible attackers, but there was no one else there.

He stepped over the corpse and made his way back to the group.

McNamara stood alone close to the precipice overlooking hidden valley bunker. He had to take two shots of Rad Away before he embarked and down a pill of RadX every ten minutes he spent there. The area was decimated, probably with multiple mini nukes.

'Those must have been the explosions we heard last night' he thought despondently as he gazed into the crater where his home once stood. Not only that, but it looked like White had hidden rad emitters all around the compound, making it impossible to enter what was left…if there was anything left, of the bunker.

Ghouls had claimed the site, attracted by the radiation, and he could see centaurs making their way down from the base of Black Mountain. Re-taking the bunker would be suicide…

McNamara made his way away from the valley and back to the group. He had no idea what they were going to do now.

"Wh-what do you mean it's been levelled?" Ibsen asked wide eyed.

"There's nothing left…" McNamara replied, "No bunker, no power Armor, no weapons, no ammo…."

Everyone in the group were shocked; some were wide eyed, covering their mouths with their hands, others were staring down at their feet numb with the new information. The only ones there who seemed to be in better control of their emotions were Ramos, and Boone.

"So in other words, we're royally screwed" Ramos added with his usual cheerful manner completely dissolved. Everyone was silent for what felt like an eternity.

McNamara was trying to think of what to do next. They had no spare food, nowhere to hide, no shelter…

'Shelter…That's it!' he thought as he remembered something from his days as a scout.

"We need to get to shelter" he announced to the group, "There's an old safe house I set up many years ago when I was first assigned to Hidden Valley. It was a secret location that I didn't even register in our database in case of infiltration. It's not much but…it'll give us a place where we can regroup and decide where to go from here". He regarded his ragged group apologetically, saddened by the fact that they had all lost their homes because of his desperation to change the past. If he had just let it be…

"Okay…everyone get your things, we're heading out" said Ramos, as slowly everyone tried to recover from their shock and fumbled for what little things they had left with them.

"What about Watkins?" asked Maya, who was sitting on a rock while Boone was busying himself pouring alcohol on her wound and bandaging it up, making her wince in pain. "We have to bury her…" Her eyes were trying to meet his, pleading; but McNamara was too distraught and shocked to meet her gaze.

"No time…we must keep going…" he insisted and started busying himself, grabbing as many of their bags as he could.

"We can't just let her rot in there! With those things…Please…Nolan" she begged, "She deserves better than this".

"Yes, yes she does…she deserved to live and not…suffer for the mistakes I made…for my idiotic overconfidence in thinking there was any chance of getting our home back. But she's gone…I can't change that. And I know she would want us to get to a safe place as quickly as possible, and not waste precious time on things we can't change" he said the last sentence with bitterness in his voice, "We move out, now. Those are my orders". He made his way to Ibsen, who was still shaken by his ordeal with the ghouls in the tunnel and was developing a couple of deep red and purple bruises on his head and one side of his face, to mark the destination on his PipBoy.

'So that's that, huh?' she thought in disbelief. Maya understood the urgency in their need to get to this safe house, but leaving Watkins out in the hot sun to rot with the zombies was wrong.

"Come on, up you get" grunted Boone, helping her up by placing her good arm around his shoulders to lift her up and his arm around her waist to balance her. She winced in pain but didn't make a sound.

The group now only consisted of five individuals: McNamara, Ramos, Ibsen, Boone, and Maya; not counting Irvine who had stayed with the Vertibird about two hour walk North East of Freeside to conserve fuel. As Maya tried to keep up with the group that was moving out, she began to lose hope of ever going back home and seeing her friends...and Danny...again.

'Oh Danny' she thought, 'I hope you're alright…'