Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout. Fallout belongs to Bethesda, who purchased the rights from Black Isle.
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Fallout: New Vegas
Unknown Origins
By Cyberweasel89
Chapter 13: Raising the Stakes
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The next morning, they decided to stop by the Vault 21 Hotel and Gift Shop. The Courier had never been in a vault before. At least, not that she knew of.
They found a young blonde woman at the front desk, dressed in a Vault 21 jumpsuit and with a Pip-Boy on her wrist.
"Hi! I'm Sarah, Sarah Weintraub. Welcome to the finest Vault hotel in the whole world!"
"A Vault hotel? Was it like this before the war?" the Courier asked her.
"No, silly! Of course it wasn't always a hotel. I grew up in it. I love it! My favorite place in the world! Not that I know much of the world. I never left this place, come to think of it. But it is the most special vault, ever!"
"What's so special about this vault?"
"My vault is pure New Vegas! Everyone has a chance, and lady luck smiles if you play your odds right!... Okay, it was like that before we had to leave. Vault 21 had very smart ways to help people get along. All arguments and fights got solved through gambling. I'll give you all a quick tour of my home! Oh yeah, if you like."
"Um... Sure, we'd like that." She heard a few of her companions groan.
"Righty-o, daddy-o! Let's do it! All right! Please follow me. We'll head into the Vault right away."
She led them through a hatch and into what seemed to be a steel bunker room with a staircase leading down. "This bunker protects the entrance to the vault. Solid stone outside and thick steel on the inside."
She led them downstairs and through another steel hatch, into the actual vault area. "Above us there's the control system for this level of the Vault's life support systems, electric grid, radioactive shields, and... all that jazz."
She led them into a nearby hall. "Don't get lost! My Vault has many corridors and rooms. Although, it is no longer symmetrical, after Mr. House threw us out."
Another hallway led to a large room with card tables and slot machines. "This is the main game hall. Here we settled the big disputes among the Vault's levels. Chosen representatives gambled against each other here. The winner earned the right to settle the dispute as wished by the collective."
She led them to the entrance of what appeared to be a diner.
"We used to have such parties in this diner! A bitch to clean later... but well worth it!"
She led them to the entrance to a hallway next.
"This hall leads to our guest rooms. You can use the first room on your left, but no snooping next door! That's my room. Always was."
A turn to the right and they were in front of a room with card tables, roulette tables, and slot machines. "Down there is the game room! Each side of the Vault had one. But... the other is filled with concrete now. Okay! That wraps it up! I'll see you soon."
As Sarah left, they made their way to the diner, finding a man sitting at the counter.
"Hey, do you mind? I'm tryin' to drink myself to the ground, right here. Scram." He told the Courier. He didn't seem to be staring at her cleavage, despite his apparent drunkenness.
"As good a place as any, I guess... Um... Though here you are drinking under ground."
"Ha ha! Damn straight! This is about the last place in this fucking city where I can burrow without having to look over my shoulder."
She hopped up onto the stool next to him as her companions scattered. "Seems like you're in trouble. Is there any way I can help?"
"Who isn't in trouble in New Vegas, uh? Sooner or later, you hit the bottom of the barrel. I just happened to fall harder than most, is all."
"Well... If Vault 21 is your bottom of the barrel, I think you could've done worse..."
"Yeah, I could've ended buried in the sands with my just head stickin' out. Ants love that. A riot, know what I mean? This place has come a long way. Sarah takes care of it, and she lets me stay, for now."
"What does Sarah do around here?"
"What doesn't she do, huh? Sarah makes this hole look like a palace. Damn nice pair of gams on her, too. She never walks outside, though."
Ah. That's why he wasn't staring. Legs man. "Why do you say Vault 21 has come a long way?"
"Because Mr. House ripped this place to shreds before filling it with concrete. Hey, I was untouchable once, but Mr. House is a god. You got that? Now I'm just one more loser that got the evil eye from lady luck. Hard fall. Now I lay at the bottom and keep to myself."
"How high was that fall, sir?"
"From the top! Where else, uh? I'm Carlitos. My fingers work the magic and my hands deal the luck! There was no player who'd stood a chance, no wiseguy who didn't fear me, and no doll who could resist me. Gomorrah was my kingdom, Carlitos's turf!
"Nice to meet you Carlitos, sir. I'm the Courier. So you worked in Gomorrah as a croupier? What was it like?"
"Hey, you're smart." The Courier blushed. "Okay, it was like finding diamonds in your vodka and showgirls under your card table. If you want it, Gomorrah has it. It was heaven... Until you find that all the glitter is made of broken dreams and all the praise hides a knife pointing at your ribs."
"I have an errand there for Mick and Ralph in Freeside. Anyone I should be careful of?"
"Now, if you have to ask, you probably don't know shit about who you're dealing with, huh? Listen up... Watch out for Cachino, that's all I'm sayin'."
"Um... I'll be careful. Anything there you can recommend to do for fun?"
"I'd recommend you save your caps and your skin. Check the Tops. No big time wiseguys there. Freeside's also fun, you know? There's too much shit and despair at Gomorrah already. I don't want anybody making it worse for Jo-... For the girls, ya know?"
The Courier smiled softly. "I can keep a secret, Carlitos, sir. Who are you worried about?"
"I... Okay, it's Joana. She... works at Gomorrah. But it's all my fault! I met her at the Atomic Wrangler. Beautiful doesn't even come close... I moved her into Gomorrah. I was in love, okay? Then Cachino, backstabbing snake, got me out of the way so that he could have my girl."
"What? How did Cachino get you out of the way?"
"He's a cunning bastard, Cachino. Told Nero and Big Sal he caught me spring cleaning my tributes to the family. Can't do nothin' against that viper."
She stood up, hands on her hips. "Why don't you get in there and get her out of Gomorrah, then?"
"What, you think I can just waltz in there and take her away? She's their doll now, okay? Besides, I step in Gomorrah and I'm as good as dead, you hear? You don't just leave the Omertas unless it's in a body bag."
"I can talk to Joana for you."
He seemed a little surprised she offered, but then looked unsure. "Don't know... She's a dream to me now... If I... I mean, if I could have her again I'd be a made man. Why am I even scared of Cachino and all those fuckers? Joana and I are dead anyway if we don't get the hell out of here. Okay. You try that, and let me know. How she looks, what she's wearing, she's safe, anything. I'll pay you, ya hear?"
"Alright. I'll talk to her." She smiled. "But you don't have to pay me. If you're down on your luck, you need that money more than I do."
"Seriously? Shit, you some kind of angel? Just... Come back with news soon, ya hear?"
She blushed again. "Don't worry. I'll do my best."
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She found her group in the atrium, enjoying a card game.
"Any winnings, Rocket?"
"Shit, no. This ain't no casino. They only play blackjack for fun around here." She grumbled.
"Guys, I'm heading to Gomorrah alone. I'll be back soon."
"Alone? Kid, how many times do I have to tell you, that's a bad idea?" Boone chastised.
The Courier sighed. "Fine. I'll take Edy with me."
She made her way down the hall, stopping when she saw three men at the entrance to one of the rooms. A woman in a dress was cowering from them in the room. One of the three men seemed to sense her presence and turned around.
"This ain't your business. Walk off and forget you saw anything."
"Wh-What's going on here?" she stammered.
"Omerta business. Now fuck off, or else."
They were Omerta thugs? The Courier tried to stand proud and tall. "Do you know who I am?"
"No. Why should I care?"
"I'm the Courier."
He actually faltered. "Wait, not a courier, the Courier? As in, Benny's girlfriend, only person to ever enter the Lucky 38?"
"Yes. I'm watching out for this woman. Go ahead, cross me. I dare you."
"Shit. Look, we're just followin' orders. We, uh, need to take this up with the boss."
They promptly made a hasty retreat. The Courier ran in to see if the woman was all right.
"Thank you! They were going to kill me!"
"Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine... eventually."
"Why were the Omertas out to kill you?"
"I... may have overheard some things at Gomorrah that I passed on to the NCR. That's all! Honest."
"So... You're a spy?"
"No! Well, not really. I mean, I'm not listening through doors or sneaking around or anything. People talk out loud, and I just pay attention. The NCR likes to keep tabs on the activities of the families, and they pay me good caps to hang around the casinos and keep my ears open."
"Um... That sounds like dangerous work."
"It isn't normally. The NCR just wanted me to just gamble and listen, nothing else."
"Okay, just... Be careful, all right?"
"Sure. And thanks again. I'm Martina Groesbeck. You?"
"I'm the Courier."
"The Courier? You weren't bluffing to them?"
She blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "N-No, I wasn't..."
"You've been the talk of the town since you first walked onto the Strip! Like I said, I keep my ears open. Everyone is talking about you!"
She tapped her index fingers together. "Um... Th-That makes me a little nervous, but... Th-Thank you."
"Hey, sorry. Thanks for saving me. I owe you a drink, all right?"
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Okay, well... I'll be staying here a while longer, so... let me know if you need any information."
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
As she made her way out of Vault 21, she stopped by to talk to Sarah again.
"Good to see you again!" she greeted.
"Um... J-Just want to make sure... A-Are you the owner of this hotel and shop?" the Courier asked.
"Well... It is my vault, all right. I mean, yeah. That is, no. I... take care of it. But I suppose you could say it belongs to Mr. House."
"What does Mr. House have to do with Vault 21? He owned Robco, not Vault-Tec, right?"
"Mr. House has everything to do with Vault 21. He tried to get us out before he filled it with concrete. I almost went ape! So we convinced him, okay, Sheldon and I, right? We convinced him to leave the top level mostly intact."
"What? Why did he fill it with concrete?"
"I don't know! Maybe he didn't want anybody sneaking around down there. My vault runs deep and wide! It's filled with corridors and rooms that go far. What gives him the right to screw us with the royal shaft, anyway? So, he saved New Vegas. Woohoo! Now scram and let us go on with our lives! Sheesh!"
Wow, she sounded pissed. Get her off the subject, Kaya! "Um... S-So you run the place, then?"
"Yeah, and you gotta dig what I did with it! Looking as good as it should... almost."
"Do you get a lot of business here?"
"Sure! The place's packed... usually. We get loads of NCR cubes these days, a stray brahmin baron once in a while, and recently circled couples shining big rocks on their fingers."
"Do you miss the old days in the vault?"
"It was bustling with activity! We all knew each other so well... You see, the vault kept us all even. It's all symmetry and windows down there. We solved any quarrels through gambling! Lady luck casts no eyeballs, ya know? So nobody shafted anyone else! Yeah... I miss those days."
"Do you know Doc Mitchell?"
"Mitch? You mean mole-butt? I hadn't thought about that name in a long time... I was just a child, and... he had a big mole in his rear bumper. You understand, kids and all that. Everyone knows about each other in a vault, there's no other way. I hope mol... I mean Mitch, is doing well!"
No privacy? No way she could live in a vault! "He is. He's living in Goodsprings as a doctor."
"Goodsprings? Where's that?"
"South of Vegas."
"Oh."
"Wait... So, you've never actually left this place?"
"Sure I have! I made the scene in the Strip. It's just that I really like it here. Vault 21 is a kick!"
"Hm... Sarah, there's something else behind all this, isn't there?"
The girl sighed. "Okay, you're right. I hate going outside. It's almost impossible for me to step out of here. Still, I love my vault. It's my pad!"
Agoraphobia? Must be common in a lot of vault dwellers... "Okay... So... What kinds of things do you sell in the gift shop?"
"I have all sorts of things. Vault souvenirs, vault wares, vault machines, vault mementos and vault suits! And, well, lots of other vault things, too."
"Sounds great! Can you show me, please?"
"Oh, yeah, sure! Okay, I've got these great lunchboxes, they're super! What else? Oh! Oh! Look at these toasters! You like toasts, right? If they're crunchy, even better! What about a vintage Vault-Tec toy car, or-"
"Wait... Um... Sorry to interrupt, but... do you actually have any vault gear?"
"Okay, I do, but who wants a lame sensor module or nitrogen canister, anyway? All the popular stuff has been sold, especially the vault suits. I need to find more because people buy them like hot cakes. Leather suits are good times! Thinkin' about that just blows my top."
She raised a brow at the word choice. "Um... I could help you out..."
"You would? You really would? That would help me, a lot!"
"Um... Will you take any vault suit? From what I know, there's utility vault suits, security armor, vault science uniforms, and the Boomer jumpsuits were originally Vault 34 jumpsuits."
"Oh, I can fix those. You bring me those boom-suits too, okay?"
"Okay. I got it."
"Thank you so much! You're an angel. I can't wait to see you again."
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"Hey, no one but Omertas are allowed to carry guns in Gomorrah! Check your weapons with me."
"Um... I don't have any weapons."
"That's what they all say. I'll be the judge of that."
Whimpering, the Courier submitted herself to a thorough frisking and cleavage rummage before being cleared.
"Hm... Guess you don't have any weapons after all."
Not so much as an apology? Blushing furiously, the Courier managed to stammer out a question. "Um... I'm... I'm... L-Looking for Joana?"
"Courtyard."
"Th-Th-Thank y-you..."
Well... It was nice of him to tell her Joana was in the courtyard, but he didn't tell her how to get to the courtyard, what with the twisting hallways. It was an hour later when she finally stumbled upon it, a girl dressed scantily greeted her the second she closed the door behind her.
"Well, what do we have here, huh? Let me guess. You've heard about the mistress who makes all your fantasies come true. So you've followed the call of your desires... all the way to the arms of Joana, moi. Now that you've found me, I wonder, do you have what it takes?"
The Courier swallowed hard. "I... I just want to ask some questions, miss."
The Courier couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed. "All right, honey. What do you want to know?"
"I-It's about Carlitos."
"What? Have you seen him? Have you talked to him?"
"Yes. Carlitos wants to get you out of here."
"I... look, we can't talk here. If you think you can help me, follow me to my room, please."
The Courier managed a small smile. "Of course. Lead the way."
"Follow me, hon."
The girl led the Courier to the right and up a flight of stairs, to the end of a balcony with a door that led to a lavish room with a large, heart-shaped bed and poor lighting.
"So... You met Carlitos?" she asked. The Courier could hear the hope in her voice.
"Yes. He wants to get you out of here, Joana."
"He... does? Wait, this changes everything. I can't leave my girls here... and, where would we even go if we escaped? No, it's too risky. We'll all end up dead."
The Courier gave her a small smile. "Trust me. I'll keep you safe, Joana."
"You sound so sure... Damn it all, you better not make me regret this later. But the Omertas will want us dead. What are we going to do about that?"
"You'll never see them again. You have my word."
"To be free, and with Carlitos again... Tell him that I still, I... never mind. Let Carlitos know that we'll be ready when you are."
"Don't worry. I'll tell him that you were happy to hear from him."
"Thank you so much for your help... I don't even know your name."
"I'm the Courier."
"Okay... Courier."
Hm... Wait a sec. She had been reading one of Doctor Gannon's medical books... Was she…? "Um... Contracted pupils, involuntary spasms... Med-X kills quickly, Joana."
"I... I didn't think it showed." She giggled nervously. "I guess that it's worse than I thought."
"What happened to you?"
"I'm... I don't know what's happening to me. I can't feel a goddamn thing anymore, empty and poisoned like the Wasteland. I'm afraid I won't make it out of here, not without Carlitos. If the Med-X doesn't kill me first, Cachino or another Omerta will. Ha... I look pathetic, huh? The great Joana, and now... I don't even know why I'm telling you this..."
"Tell me about Cachino. Please."
"He's a filthy monster... I've been with perverted men, but Cachino's done things... to me, that... Even other Omertas would also want to kill him if they knew what he does. He's broken so many of their rules that I don't know how he still breathes."
"What's the Omertas' role in Gomorrah?"
"They run the place as a center for all their dirty scams and extortions. Gambling, sex, drugs, they'll use whatever works to exploit your weaknesses. Hooker, customer, it doesn't matter. Everyone here's a pawn to the Omertas, playing and dying by their rules."
"Tell me about their leaders, please."
"Nero's the pack leader, and Big Sal's his right hand. What Nero wants, Big Sal does. Then there's... Cachino."
"What about Carlitos? Can you tell me more about him, please?"
"He was an Omerta that... fell in love with me. They don't ever mix with people outside the 'family', you know? He was planning to escape with me but Cachino found out about us. So he did something, talked, I don't know, and Carlitos disappeared."
"Because Carlitos broke the Omerta rules?"
"Cachino doesn't give a shit about rules, only cares to feed his perversions. He lusted for me, he's done thing to me. Look... I'm stuck here, I know that. Carlitos is the only thing that keeps me going. Without him, I don't have anything left."
"Don't worry. I'll help you get out of here, Joana."
"Thank you." She leaned in to plant a soft kiss on the Courier's forehead, making the girl blush.
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She made her way back to Vault 21, finding Carlitos there.
"Hey, it's you! What's the news?" he asked.
"Um... I found Joana."
"Hey, that's great. What's going on?"
"Joana's happy to hear from you and wants to escape Gomorrah." she told him, smiling.
"She is...? Listen, no time to waste. Help her get to Freeside, that's our ticket out of this fucking city. I'll meet you there between midnight and dawn, though we could use some backup. We only got one chance to get this right, you hear? These guys in Freeside, Big Beard and Little Beard. Good shots, right? They owe me big time. Tell them Carlitos is back to collect his chips, they'll know what to do."
"Where in Freeside will you meet us?"
"I'll be near the entrance to Vegas, but I need to keep out of sight. The Omertas have contacts, and they're still lookin' for me."
"How do I get her out of Gomorrah?"
"She'll have to go disguised. Gomorrah's packed around midnight, and the bouncers won't notice just another patron leavin' the joint."
The Courier nodded, her eyes determined. "Okay. I'm on it."
"All right. See you soon. And... thank you."
"Don't thank me yet, Carlitos, sir. Not until the job is done and you and Joana are safe."
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After asking around, she found Big Beard and Little Beard at the Atomic Wrangler. She assumed the one with the bushier beard was Big Beard. She approached the one with the more meager beard.
"Um... Hi."
"Just talk to Big Beard next to me, girlie. Whoever's got the biggest whiskers, does the talkin'."
"Um... Okay?" So she turned to Big Beard.
"Let me guess. You wanna know my secret. How I got my beard to grow in so thick."
"Um... Okay?" She'd just humor him. "What's your trick?"
"Sorry, but I can't tell you that. Trade secret."
"Um... Okay?" Best get down to business, then. "Does the name Carlitos ring a bell?"
"Depends on why you're asking."
"Uh... Carlitos says he's ready to cash in his chips."
"I see. Well, he can count on Little Beard and me for an assist. Tell us where and when, and we'll be there."
"The where is the Freeside entrance to the Strip, and the when is midnight tonight."
"The Beards will be there."
"Thanks. Um... What sort of debt do you owe Carlitos?"
"Let's just say it had somethin' to do with the beards, and leave it at that."
"Um... Okay?" She was really getting tired of saying that to these two...
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"Joana!" She ran up to the woman, stopping to catch her breath. "I... I have news from Carlitos!"
"Really? What did he say?"
"He'll meet us in Freeside around midnight. I'll sneak you out in disguise."
"Okay, I got clothes I can use for that. When you give the word, I'll let the other girls know and we'll meet you at the lobby."
"Okay. I'll see you soon."
The Courier made her way out into the casino. She had to make it look like she was just a regular customer, so she bought a few chips and started playing the slots a little. She discovered she wasn't a very good gambler, not at all like Rocket, but it at least kept her busy until midnight. Edy certainly didn't mind watching the reels. When the time came, she made her way out to the lobby to find three girls there in ordinary dresses, hats, and sunglasses, one of them Joana.
"C'mon. People are looking at us." Joana whispered to the Courier.
"Are you ready to get out?" The Courier whispered back, facing away from Joana as she spoke.
"We're ready. Let's get the hell out of here before they recognize us."
They made their way out, the Courier waiting until all three had left the casino before exiting herself.
Their walk down the street was tense, but nothing happened. As they approached the gate to Freeside, all four broke out into a run, pushing the gates open and pulling them closed behind them.
A quick run down the street and they were met with Carlitos, Big Beard, and Little Beard. The man's face lit up as he saw them.
"You've made it! Thanks so much for your help! I owe you more than- Wait! What's that?"
The Courier spun around to see four men in light gray suits and hats run up to them. Uh oh!
"Well, well, well. If it isn't our whore, Joana." The apparent leader of the four greeted them. "And I don't believe this... Carlitos! We had you and the whore clocked from the start, but we thought Carlitos'd be long gone by now. He should've fled with the caps he stole from the family. We Omertas don't forget, and now's time to pay for your offenses!"
Edy beeped angrily, but the Courier held a hand out in front of her, making the robot settle down. She stepped forward, taking a deep breath. It was time for some acting. It was the only way to defuse this situation. "Your boss will hear about how you spoiled the mission."
"What mission, what are you talkin' about?"
"Carlitos is trading what he stole for Joana. I was hired to see that he does."
"All the dough? Cachino once said this traitor flipped with thousands off the record. Why wasn't I informed?"
She held in her sigh of relief. He was buying it so far, now she had to seal the deal. "Your boss kept it a secret. Carlitos wouldn't deal directly with Omertas."
"I see, yeah... He knows what we usually do to traitors. But all that profit is well worth sparing his miserable life. Okay, carry on. And we've never been here, you understand? Boss doesn't need to know about this."
The four Omerta thugs ran off. This time the Courier released a well-deserved sigh of relief, while Edy beeped happily. Carlitos and Joana were staring at her with their mouths hanging open. It was Carlitos who spoke first.
"I don't know how we pulled this off. For a minute there I thought we weren't going to make it. Without you, we'd have been in the losing end. Thank you so much for your help, friend."
She shook his hand, smiling at him. "It was my pleasure, Carlitos."
"I take care of my debts. How can I repay you, friend?"
"Just go be happy with Joana. Enjoy your freedom. That's all I ask for."
"Really? Shit, you're one of a kind. Okay, friend. I hope to see you again, far away from this place."
Joana ran up and held the Courier in a tight hug. "You truly are something else." She said, releasing her. A deep blush covered the Courier's face. "Those Omertas looked like they were going to kill Carlitos on the spot. I have nothing to give you except my thanks. And, well, if I were you I wouldn't mess around with the Omertas anymore. But listen to this. Cachino has said things that make me think there's a big and nasty operation in the works. Something about getting even with Mr. House."
"Thanks. I'll see what I can do, Joana."
"Just thought you'd like to know. Okay, I'm getting Carlitos as far away from here as possible. I hope to see you again. Bye!"
They all turned to leave, leaving the Courier waving goodbye at them. "Bye, Joana! Bye, Carlitos! I hope to see you again someday, too!"
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The Courier made her way back to Gomorrah. She best take care of this problem then and there. She once again submitted to an embarrassing weapon check and made her way to the receptionist at the front desk.
"Hello, and welcome to Gomorrah. What can I help you with today?"
"Um... What is there to do around here?"
"Feel free to head to our club, Brimstone, or you can see our gorgeous courtyard out behind the casino."
"Okay. Thanks. Uh... I'm sure you have all the good dirt on what goes on around here."
"I sure do, but loose lips..." she chuckled. "Sink ships."
She smiled up at her. "Don't worry. I can keep your secrets."
"Alright, you look pretty trustworthy."
"So... What can you tell me about what's going on around the Strip?"
"I've heard some pretty shady rumors about the Ultra-Luxe. I'm not sure what the deal is, but although they try to put on airs, that place is just plain creepy. Maybe it's the masks."
"Thanks. Um... Anything else?"
"It's hard to believe that not too long ago most of the families on the Strip were little more than warring tribes. The Omertas even had a big war with the Khans, once upon a time."
"That's interesting. What else?"
"I hear you've actually been inside the Lucky 38? You're the first person who's been in there in as long as anybody can remember."
The Courier blushed. She was really the talk of the town, wasn't she? "Um... C-Can you tell me about what's going on in G-Gomorrah, then, please?"
"Gossip is one thing, dirt on the Family is something else totally."
Hm... That was a dead end. She'd have to try a more direct approach. The Courier stepped over to the Omerta thug who checked people for weapons.
"What the fuck are you lookin' at?" he asked.
"Um... Wh-Where can I find Cachino?"
"Cachino? Get out of my face."
Edy made an agitated beep. Hm... She stepped into the casino and asked the floor manager. Similar response. And all the dealers essentially told her to fuck off as well. Sighing, the Courier leaned against a wall and turned to Edy. "What do you think we should do, Edy?" she asked her. The eyebot only beeped sadly. Sighing again, the Courier reached into her pocket and popped a piece of bubblegum into her mouth. She had to find Cachino, and bubblegum usually helped her think. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't expect a tall, burly, balding man to walk right up beside her just as she was blowing a bubble.
"I hear you've been asking questions about me, cuntweed. What the fuck do you want?" he demanded.
She froze, the bubble popping and surrounding her mouth in pink goo. She promptly cleared her lips with the wrapper and spit the remaining gum out before turning to what she presumed was Cachino.
"Um... Are you Cachino? Uh..." Okay, first a casual question, just to try and defuse a potentially hostile situation. "Wh-What can you tell me about Gomorrah?"
"I banged Lot's wife and licked her salty ass. The fuck do I look like? I'm the one askin' the questions here. Now tell me why you been droppin' my name before I get some muscle over here and we find a private place to talk."
The Courier swallowed hard. Okay, straight to the point, then. "Um... I... I hear you've been doing some b-business on the side."
"Business? What the fuck do you mean, business? You lookin' to get yourself burned? Now you start talkin' real clear, and I mean fuckin' crystal clear, because I'm about to lose my patience."
"Uh... Th-The Omertas w-won't take kindly to hearing ab-bout your relationship w-with Joana."
"Joana? The bitch spreadin' lies about me? I've got a lesson to teach her about loose lips."
"Uh, nevermind. Sorry I said something."
"Fuck off, then."
The Courier sighed, leaning back against the wall and returning the half-chewed gum to her mouth. Edy turned to her and beeped sadly.
"It's okay, Edy. I'll think of something." She received a happy beep in response, making her giggle.
Okay... Cachino wasn't willing to cooperate, so she either needed dirt on him or some other inside link to the Omertas.
A finger tapping her shoulder brought her out of her musings. She turned to see a boy about her age with short, auburn hair, dressed in a light gray suit tailored to his size.
"Um... H-Hello?" she greeted.
"Hi. Are you the one who freed Joana?" he asked.
She swallowed hard, almost swallowing her gum, but... something about his eyes. There was... kindness... in them. "Y-Yes. I am." She found herself telling him. "But... Who are you?"
"I'm Nero's son. And I believe we can help each other out."
The Courier's jaw dropped, her gum falling out and landing on the floor.
XXXXXXXXXX
1. Hate to do it again so soon after the last chapter, but... Two more shout-outs! First is "New California Dreaming" by Hotpoint. A delightful contrast between Fallout 2 and Fallout 3 that features a ranger of the New California Republic being sent to investigate the Capital Wasteland Brotherhood of Steel, set just a few months before the beginning of Fallout 3. The characters are incredibly realistic and three-dimensional. I especially love Allison. She's a contradictory mix of demure and feisty. XD
2. Second is "The Rangers: Echo" by Thug-4-Less. This is one set during Fallout 3 in a "while you were out" kind of way, featuring an expanded Reilly's Rangers. Much like the above, you'll absolutely fall in love with the characters. Evelyn is my favorite. Wolf comes in at a close second. X3
3. To conclude these notes, I have to say... While they're not strictly necessary, I LOVE getting reviews. Unfortunately, I can't reply to them if you're not signed in. It's especially upsetting when the anonymous reviewer asks me a question, since I can't answer when they're not signed in. :(