Gannon cautiously pushed open the door and swiftly moved in, Trouble behind him moving quickly to his right. Nothing stirred but the dust that swirled up from their boots and danced in the sunlight sneaking in between the dirt on the window panes. They listened alertly to the silence for a moment before beginning a room to room search of the building. They found no one but there was a lot of stuff left here. This was no orderly abandonment.
The day wasn't even half gone so they went down below the building and entered Coyote Mine. The only person they encountered was a prospector camping in the deserted mine. He didn't know what had happened to the miners since it was empty when he found it last night while he was trying to escape an attack by ghouls wearing NCR armor. He hadn't gone further into the mines but had not heard any sounds from that direction in the hours he had been there. He was quite tired as he had hardly slept fearing an attack from either outside or deeper in the mines.
It took several hours to thoroughly search the mine and determine that no dangerous creatures had yet moved in. It was getting late in the evening so they decided to make camp with the prospector. They insisted they would take turns keeping watch so he could sleep all night. It wasn't that they thought he would hurt them; they just didn't know him well enough to trust their lives to him. He was totally exhausted enough to agree.
Trouble was relieved she wasn't going to spend the night alone with Gannon after what had happened two nights before. They were still a little wary of each other.
As they left the Coyote Mines early the next morning they could feel the quickening of the wind and the sting of the sand hurled against them. Trouble winced, covering her face with her kerchief. So this was why they were so popular in the desert, she thought. It seemed quite dark out though the morning should be well under way. She whipped around at Gannon's urgent voice.
"Come on, we have to hurry. We have about 2 minutes before that wall of sand covers us.", Gannon shouted above the rising wind, pointing to a dark wall bearing down on them. They ran toward the Gold mine and tumbled into the entry, slamming the door behind them as the storm hit. Trouble watched, intrigued, as the door shook and sand was forced through the cracks to pool on the floor. They turned to go down the tunnel.
The scuffling, scratching sounds echoing in the passage ahead of them put them on alert to pending danger. The first attack came as no surprise. They soon found the cave was infested with a large pack of super-sized rats, the largest either of them had ever seen. It was unlikely any one was alive in here unless they had found a way to wall themselves off from the voracious creatures. Nevertheless they worked their way through the tunnels until they came to a fair sized room filled with chemicals, scientific apparatus, and other signs that experiments had been carried out here. It was all covered with a thick layer of dust so no one had worked here in weeks. There was no sign of the scientist but that was hardly surprising. If he died here the rats would have made short work of his body, even the bones as they chewed them up for the marrow.
Having spent the day clearing the upper and lower caverns of the dangerous animals they decided the scientist's hideaway would be a good place to spend the night. Gannon started a fire while Trouble prepared a meal of giant rat stew and put the coffee on to boil. As they ate they chatted companionably about the day's events and speculated on Jay's plans. Neither wanted to risk the delicate truce and so they were avoiding personal issues. They felt fairly safe here in the depths of the mines with a sandstorm raging outside, so they were enjoying a bottle of whiskey left behind in the scientist's stash while they relaxed.
They decided that it wouldn't be necessary to stand a guard and both of them could get a good night's sleep. Only one bunk hung from a far wall and it was covered in a thick layer of dust. Trouble examined it and decided the anchors were not well attached. It would be decidedly risky to try sleeping on it. She smoothed out her bedroll by the back wall. Gannon placed his on the other side of the fire. Trouble slowly removed her boots and armor as she watched him take off his boots and place them neatly by the side of his bedroll. He stood and removed his armor, stacking it by his boots. He stretched, turning, and his eyes caught Trouble staring wistfully at him. She quickly looked away.
He came slowly around the fire to stare down at her.
"I don't prefer men, you know.", he said.
"You don't?", she asked, puzzled. "But you and Jay…", she broke off.
"I don't know about Jay but he never has with me.", he said firmly.
"Oh.", she said, rising lithely from her bedroll to stand in front of him. "You like women?", she asked softly, staring into his eyes, her breath quickening.
"I like you.", he said. She held his eyes with hers as she slowly raised her hand and gently removed his glasses, sliding them off and placing them carefully on the nearby bunk. She lifted her face to him, her eyes liquid with desire, lips slightly parted as his arms slid around her.
"Are you sure?", he asked huskily, scanning her upturned face, uncertain in light of her previous reaction to him.
"Yes", she murmured, leaning into him. "I want you." She slid her body against him, moaning softly. He pulled her even closer, bending his head down until his lips were against her cheek.
"Do you?", he breathed into her ear. "What about 'never you'?"
What did he say? No, oh, no, he didn't understand. How could he? He didn't know. He wouldn't have sex with a whore and she was far worse than any whore! Maybe he hadn't come to her willingly. Had she used her power on him? She wanted him so much, maybe she had, she wasn't sure. She couldn't do this to him. He'd hate her, loathe himself for touching her, she had to tell him. The thoughts coursed through her mind in an instant, throwing her into a dizzying confusion of conflicting emotions. She didn't want him to hate her! He had to know! She stiffened, going still in his arms.
"No.", she whispered hoarsely, pushing away from him. "Cade, I.." He grabbed her arms and slammed her up against the wall.
"What kind of sick game are you playing?,", he snarled, his face red with fury. He shook her angrily. "Stop it!", he growled. "Stop doing this! JUST..LEAVE..ME..THE FUCK ..ALONE!" He gave her a last angry shove and released her, turning to stalk away, running his hand agitatedly through his hair.
Trouble slid down to the bedroll, a tear leaking down her cheek from wide eyes, watching him crouch by the fire, his back to her, stiff and unyielding. Other tears quietly dripped off her chin as she dejectedly stared at him. She just wanted to slink away, to go out there and let the sands cover her over and hide her in the desert forever. Even if she could face the storm she wouldn't leave him out here with no one to watch his back. She couldn't tell him now. He was so angry, he would never listen. Jay would be back soon. She would just stay at least until Jay returned or they made it back to the Old Mormon Fort in Freeside. She wouldn't leave Arcade alone.
She curled into a tight ball, covering herself from his sight in her bedroll, the tears sliding softly down to soak quietly into the bedding.
Arcade crouched by the fire, too agitated to lie down. Why was she doing this to him? What was wrong with him? He wouldn't look over at where she was lying. He was afraid of what he might do if he saw her smirking at him, laughing at his pain and bewilderment.