"Well, we've done our civic duty, how are we going now?", Trouble asked, digging into her second helping of eggs at the dining tent. She didn't want to mention the bunker in a public place.
Arcade watched her, wondering at the amount she seemed able to consume and maintain her wraith- like slimness. He kind of missed that she didn't feel the need to steal from his plate anymore.
"I know your Pip-boy says to go straight over those mountains", he replied, pushing aside his plate and picking up his coffee cup "but there's no way to do that. There isn't any pass until you get down past Helios One so we'll be going that way." He sipped at his coffee.
Trouble sighed, eyeing his plate casually. He had left a small piece of meat on the side. With the heavy spice the cook had used she wasn't quite sure what type of meat, but didn't really care either. She ignored his small grin as she stabbed it with her fork.
Leaving caps on the table to pay for their meal they shouldered their packs and headed down the road toward Helios One. Old Lady Gibson was out when they approached her junk yard and they stopped to chat with her and assure her that Rex was doing great in Freeside. No, they had no news of the Courier or what he was up to at the moment and couldn't comment on any rumors being spread on the radio.
From there they went to Helios One and confirmed the report they had gotten about Camp Charlie. The camp medic had an issue with a soldier he wasn't qualified to handle, so Arcade agreed to look at the man. He ended up having to perform a surgery on him that took up the afternoon. In gratitude they were offered free lodging for the night but declined, wanting to make better time. They just took the evening meal with the soldiers before heading toward the El Dorado Power Station and the pass through the mountains to the west.
Trouble caught the scent coming up with the slight breeze off the plain below as they approached the power station. They crouched in a stand of large bushes while Arcade checked it out with field glasses. "Legion.", he growled. "They're sneaking up on the power station."
He turned his attention in that direction. "The soldiers there don't seem aware of them. The sun's almost down and the low light level and brilliant colors of the sunset are providing cover for the Legion. They're going to ambush the power station."
"We can't let them get control of that station." Trouble said worriedly. "We have to warn them."
"How do you propose we do that without giving away our position? We don't want both sides firing at us and that's likely to happen if we start shooting!", he pointed out.
Trouble removed an arrow from her quiver. He watched, fascinated, as she took a piece of rag and wound it tightly to the head. He had never wondered why she carried a small bottle of moonshine, as it had disinfecting properties, but now he realized her intent. She dampened the rag with the volatile substance.
"Got a match?", she grinned at him.
He pulled out his matches and helped her light the arrow. From the cover of the bushes she took careful aim and let it fly into a dead, dried bush in front of the advancing Legion. It went up like a beacon, momentarily highlighting a foot soldier. He quickly scrambled away, but now both sides were alert. The battle was on.
They quickly scrambled from their position, sliding down the embankment into the plain, circling around the Legion's flank. They would have tracked the arrow as it flamed down and knew where it came from, but so would the NCR soldiers and they would have realized that they were warning them. At least that halved the number of people that would be shooting at them. They kept to cover as much as they could as they opened up on the Legion in the gathering dusk.
The battle was finally determined when Helios One sent reinforcements. Trouble huddled beside Arcade in a stand of bushes, fairly certain none of the combatants had gotten a look at them. She overheard a young soldier say something about a flair setting a bush on fire; she hoped that story spread. One of the Legion had been taken captive and that worried her until he was left unguarded and tied up while the inexperienced soldier moved on. She slid up under cover of darkness and made sure he wouldn't be talking.
"Cade.", she murmured softly. "Come on, let's get out of here. The fields cleared now and I don't see anyone around. It's full dark so they can't see us near as well as I can see them. I already retrieved the arrowhead from the bush." She hadn't used her bow anymore as the .45 was more efficient at close range.
Arcade groaned as he rose. She realized he had been pretty quiet. She knelt to check him over.
"You're bleeding.", she said angrily, observing the red stains spreading around the midriff of his armor. "Why didn't you say something?"
"It's just a flesh wound.", he mumbled through gritted teeth. "I took care of it while you were out there."
"Let me see.", she demanded, reaching for his belt.
He let her remove the vest and raise his t-shirt. She observed the bandage circling his midriff. The bandage was tight with the outline of padding over the wounds in the lower left quadrant. At least there were no major organs there and the tight bandages would keep air from the body cavity and reduce the likelihood that a lung might collapse. "It doesn't look like it's still bleeding.", she said, lowering the shirt. She noticed his slight smirk as she helped him back into his vest. He was a doctor; he should know how to put on a bandage.
"Did you take a Med-X?." She asked, pretty sure he hadn't.
"I don't need one. It'll just slow me down.", he grunted.
"Don't be stupid.", she snapped, pulling her med kit from her pack. "Pain'll slow you down more. Now hold still. Don't make me chase you down with this."
He started to chuckle, then grimaced, drawing a sharp breath. She dipped her head so he wouldn't see the fear in her eyes as she injected the med. It would help stop the damage, but he needed far more than that. She carefully injected a stimpack near the wounds, careful not to disturb the bandages. They had to move, and they had to move now.
He put an arm around her shoulders and let her help him up. He grunted with pain as they started out but the med soon kicked in and he was able to move more freely. They made it around the power station and into the pass without drawing attention. By then Arcade was exhibiting the side effects of the powerful med, walking somewhat less than steadily. He seemed disoriented. She watched him worriedly even as she scanned for danger as she led them through the pass. She halted them at the end of the pass in the shadow of a mountain. It was the middle of the night but there would still be danger out there in the open.
She settled them down in deep shadow and pulled out her med kit. The Med-X had shown signs of wearing off and she wasn't going to let him go out there under the influence. While he leaned back against a small boulder, his eyes closed, she lifted the edge of his vest enough to inject him with a stim-pak near the wound. It would help ease the pain if not take it completely away. He opened his eyes and smiled wanly at her.
"Drink this.", she said, handing him a bottle of pure water she had taken from one of the Legion. He swallowed the water, choking slightly. She was more than a little worried he was docilely complying with her every demand. He needed to rest and it was nearly morning. She left him sitting by the boulder and moved to the end of the pass. With her field glasses she swept the area across the old road.
It seemed quiet over there but there was a lone raider pacing back and forth about a sleeping camp on this side of the road. She didn't think she could get Arcade past the man without being seen. She couldn't carry him, and she knew he would never make it under his own power. Her options were severely limited. Leaving him in the shadow of the boulder she slipped toward the Raider camp.
The big man was half dozing, smoking a cigarette as he leaned against the boulder, listening to the night and soft rustlings from the camp behind him. He wasn't aware anyone was there until he felt the gun barrel at the base of his skull.
"Don't move and you'll live yet.", a woman's voice demanded harshly. "Just do as I say and you may even make it through the night."
Matilda moved cautiously, nervously behind the big man carrying Arcade on his shoulders. She was alert to every sound, every scent on the air. Her heightened senses caught the smell of smoke, even identifying the shrub burning, the scent of drugs, the stench of the unwashed man ahead of her. He was carefully obeying her every command fully aware of the .45 pointed at his head. He knew the Gannons by reputation and didn't want to push this woman.
As they approached the gate to Freeside he became increasingly nervous. The Kings guarding the gate were likely to shoot him just for the hell of it.
"Stop." Trouble said as they came within hailing distance. "YOU, KING.", she shouted. "I need your assistance. I will pay you double."
The Kings glanced at each other, studying the strange tableau. Then one approached, covered by his partner with a shotgun trained on them.
"I need you to carry my husband. He is badly wounded.", she said to the King, who she didn't recognize.
The King studied the large Raider, still holding the injured man.
"What about him?", he asked, nodding at him.
"He has no weapons and I promised he could go in peace. Let him go. I will pay you well.", she said.
"200 caps upfront.", he said.
"I don't have that on me, but this is Dr. Gannon. When we get to the Lucky 38 I will gladly pay you double that.", she said desperately.
"Wait, you're the Gannons? You can get me on the Strip?", he asked.
"Yes, if you are with us you will have free entry. Please, I don't think he can last much longer.", she begged.
"All right, fine. But if you're lying, if you stiff me…", he threatened.
"I'm not. You'll get your reward. And a free pass onto the Strip.", she declared. She really wasn't sure she had that authority, but what choice did she have? Arcade would die if they didn't make it there soon.
The King took Arcade from the Raider and turned toward Freeside. Matilda hastily took a handful of caps and a pack of cigarettes and shoved them at the Raider.
"Go", she hissed. "Before one of them decides to take pot shots at you."
The man grabbed his reward and took off at a dead run. He would have a story for morning if he made it back to camp.
xx
Trouble stared at the screen of the autodoc and watched as it administered a sedative to the inert man.
"He's bleeding internally." A deep voice said behind her. The courier was surveying the screen. "If you'd been much longer he would have died."
He held out a bottle toward Trouble. She took it absently and took a drink.
"Welcome back.", she said without looking at him.
"I heard there was a battle between the Legion and NCR over by the power station.", he said conversationally. "There's rumors about a flare warning the NCR but no one knows who fired it."
They watched the screen as the autodoc cauterized a leaking artery and began the delicate task of snipping out dead tissue.
"5mm.", he observed. "Looks like he was strafed with a sub machine gun. Lots of holes." He took a sip of beer.
"They aren't exactly rare in the Mojave.", she replied, still watching the operation.
"Take care, Trouble.", he said. "the Legion isn't stupid. Neither of us wants anything to happen to Arcade."
He turned to walk away.
"Fuck you, Jay.", she said expressionlessly, her eyes never leaving the screen.
The autodoc was one of the Courier's secrets. If he or one of his companions could make it back to the 38 alive, it could probably save them. She knew there were other secrets in this military compound disguised as a hotel, but right now she wasn't interested in any of them. She watched the screen intently, occasionally taking a sip of beer.