A Mile Away From Cass and Veronica...
I've finished showering right when the rain stops. I still have some soap on my feet, but I kick it off and call it good. Rex, however, is still covered in suds. The hound angrily shakes himself off while I dig out a towel from my bag. Thankfully, he's done shaking and is relatively dry when I'm done toweling my body off. Momentarily, I glance at my body and grimace in disgust. My ribs are poking out from my torso as an ugly reminder I've only been eating meat for the past few years. I decide to give myself a tiny and quick medical examination due to the fact I'm naked for once. My knowledge of medicine took years to master, but it comes in handy for situations such as this.
I grab my thin legs and apply pressure. No muscle, no fat, and no sinew. Just flabby flesh and bone. My other leg and arms aren't much better. Next, I feel my joints. Swollen, red, and hard to the touch. Rex begins sniffing me as I examine my chest and hips. Both are bony and have excess skin hanging from them. A deep frown spreads across my face as I take some of the excess skin (which lines my entire body) and pull it away from me. The flesh remains extended and doesn't snap back down to my meat like it should. Rex is starting to get anxious and pace while I continue. I lick my cracked lips before applying pressure to my teeth. Any tooth I touch moves. I stop the medical examination early.
I'm dying. Not quickly, but I'm still dying. I'm not hydrated, scurvy is beginning to form in my jaw, and my purely meat diet isn't giving me enough calories to do all of the physical tasks I'm require to do daily. I glance at Rex and see he's not much better. The parts where he's a dog are thin with patchy fur; while the robotic parts are beginning to have rust forming on them. It's not fair to make him die. You're the one that is on this mission. Send him back. Hopefully, the NCR will contact you once they realize what a desperate state you're in. I whistle to get Rex's attention. The dog flips around and looks at me with a wolfish grin spread across his face. My ragged, dry voice comes out. It's only now that I realize I haven't talked in days.
"Go home.". Rex cocks his head and begins walking towards me.
"Go home!". Rex whimpers and sits down.
"GO HOME!". I pick up a rock beside my foot and throw it at him. It cracks against his temple. Rex bares his teeth and his ears flatten against his skull. A low, monstrous growl comes from him. Slowly, he begins to advance on me. I'm still naked, but I don't back down. Instead, I grab another rock and throw it at him. This one likewise cracks against his skull. This one works. Rex howls in pain before flipping around. I slide to the ground as my only friend runs back to where he came from. I can't help myself. I cry.
Less Than A Mile Away From the Courier...
Cass and I are packing up the camp when a loud crack rings around the canyon. Both of us drop whatever we're doing, turn to where we're facing deeper into the canyon, and draw our weapons. Cass shoots the second we see our enemy. The creature collapses to the ground with a shudder and whimper. Cass begins shoving the camp up as I run over to whatever she wounded. A hairless, yellow-eyed dog-like creature is bleeding from his temple and his left front leg is blown off.
I pick the creature up and hear something clink off of his body. I toss the living animal over my shoulder, then kneel to see what it is. What I have is a dog's collar that's worn and torn in several places. I turn it in my hand and see a small sack on the collar. I pull on the sack and hear three bolts click on the stone ground. Odd. I pick the bolts up and a shudder runs through my spine.
"Cass!". My friend runs over to me.
"What?". I show her the collar, bolt, and weakly-fighting animal. Cass yanks the collar out of my hand and begins patting me on the back.
"Rex use to wear this collar!". Cass yanks the NCR emergency radio from her pocket. I don't even ask. Instead, I just watch her and listen to what she's saying.
"We need NCR ranger support. Repeat, we need NCR ranger support. Bring a brahmin and a coil of rope. Repeat, bring a brahmin and coil of rope. We're nearing the Courier. Repeat, we're nearing the Courier.". Cass and I both stand and look deeper into the canyon. I can't see much due to the fact the path bends to the right. I decide to try to take Cass's mind off of the current situation.
"You don't have to repeat everything you say.". She shrugs.
"I needed to make sure the ranger brought everything.". We both fall silent. I'm not sure how long we stand there, but it's far too long for either of our liking. Each second that stretches by gets us more on edge. Cass has her gun out, loaded, and cocked. She even has it at firing level and pointed towards the entrance that leads deeper into the canyon. Meanwhile, I scan the tops of the cliffs above us to prepare for any sneak attack. The creature begins fighting after a few minutes, so I do my best to heal him. A stimpack, some cloth over the wound, and a hit of jet have the beast more than willing to be quiet. I gently place the animal over to the side. Cass is still on edge as she questions me.
"Why are you keeping him alive?". I don't have a good answer, so I shrug and tell her the truth.
"I don't know. He had Rex's collar that the Courier gave him on. Maybe I think he's important. Maybe I just feel bad because you shot his leg off when all he was doing was running from whatever hurt his head. I'll tell you when I find out.". Cass can't respond because someone is coming towards us from behind. Both of us flip around and startle a NCR ranger riding on a brahmin. The poor man raises his hands in surrender as he falls sideways off of his steed. Cass grunts before rushing to him and pulling him to his feet. My friend gives him a brief summary as I turn back towards where the Courier is most likely camped out.
"We believe we have the Courier cornered. We just need to go in there and flush her out. So, expect a lot of gunfire and nowhere to hide. Try not to kill her.". I still want to kill the Courier, but I don't want to say anything. Cass and I can discuss that matter if and when we get the woman tied up. Until she's knocked out, tied up, and her weapons are taken away she's still a threat. Cass and the ranger join me. Cass takes the lead while the ranger and I follow a few feet behind her on either side. Our brahmin is slowly trailing behind us. The first sign the Courier is there is trail of blood along the floor of the canyon. Cass carefully examines the blood as we walk around the bend in the trail. Another wide curve greets us. Again, the bloody trail leads the way. Cass quietly explains what she thinks happened as we continue along the trail.
"She must have killed someone or something here. Then, she had to drag the body back to whatever camp she has ahead of us. Either to eat if it was an animal, or bury if it was a person.". All of us remain silent as the final bend is passed through. More dried blood to lead the way. When the last bend is gone we stop and look ahead of us. The ranger is the only one to spot something. He brings his sniper rifle to his eye, then passes it over to me. I raise the gun up and see what's at the end of the canyon. The rough outline of a tent and someone moving around. A line of what appear to be bodies are near the lip of the opening into the field where the tent and person are. I hand the rifle to Cass while making sure my gauntlet is on and ready to go. Casss tosses the rifle back to the ranger and gives some advice to all of us.
"I'll charge in an try to subdue her. Both of you need to do the same, but fire around her as you do it. Don't give her a chance to escape.". I point out a huge flaw.
"I don't have a gun.". Cass nods, grunts, and switches places with me.
"Do you think you can charge her and catch her?". I nod and all three of us begin moving forward. The plan seems simple enough and might work, but I'm still debating what I should do. I can either honestly catch the Courier, or break her neck by 'accident' when I tackle her to the ground. Quickly, I decide just to catch her. Cass is trusting me to catch her, then talk to her about what we want to do. My inner musings are interrupted as Cass pushed me and screams a single command.
"GO!".
Note: Sorry for the chapter being shorter than normal. I just didn't want it to be awkwardly long or cut off in a weird place, so it seemed best to end it here. The next chapter might possibly come out sooner than normal.