-((Quest Break))-

Arcade placed the round, silver item attached to his stethoscope onto the partially exposed body of the Legion recruit Corwin now turned carefully on his back. Bruises and cuts all over his face and arms, a lot of dry blood chipping away from his skin, most of his armor torn and broken now showing some of his torso, seems like he was beaten up pretty bad by something. "Can't believe I am doing a medical exam for a Legion recruit..." Arcade mumbled, continuing using his medical tool on different spots in Corwin's torso.

I kept a fair distance away from all of my displeased companions after I decided to help out the enemy much to everyone's protest. Especially Craig of all people, an NCR 1st Recon with bitter loathing towards the Legion. "I agree..." Craig growled before turning his head at me, giving a dark glare in his eyes. "we should've left him alone, like the fucking piece of shit he deserves to be!" he growled again through his tightly clenched teeth.

"Ya darn right, Recon." Eric said, smoking his cigarette at a different direction. "Feller might wake up 'n crucify us all. Smooth move, Crims..."

"I thought the Legion themselves are bad," Simon spoke. "but someone assisting them is completely different, but kind of shocking coming from Rookie herself."

Yep..." Veronica crossed her arms over her torso. "Though, I don't understand why a courier would want to recruit a butt-fucking, skirt pansy-"

"Alright, shut the fuck up!" I barked, irritated at how everyone is backing me into a corner. "Yes, I know it is completely fucked up of me to help heal and aid Corwin when we should've just walked away and continue with my objective...but-"

"But what!?" Craig barked as he walked his way to me. "Tell me what makes him a valued soul that needs to be saved!?" Using his left hand, his clenched my right arm tightly while the other is in a sling after being dislocated by the ghoul mutant hybrid Willis's strong arm. "I can't believe you, of all people, would want to help that bastard after what he has done to you a few nights ago. Any minute now, that trash will wake up and slit all of our throats!" He clenched his hand tighter on my arm, making me yelp in pain.

I whimpered, yanking and tugging my arm to have Craig loosen his grip. "C-Craig, let go!" Even jerking my arm away from the powerhouse faction 1st Recon proved to be useless because of his strong grip.

I felt his hand gripped tighter on my forearm, causing me yell a little. "Unless it is about helping that damn bastard," he growled through his tightened teeth in a dark and infuriated tone. "I will never let you go and help out that damn bastard, nor will I ever let you out of my sight!" He tugged my arm forward to have both of our faces nearly inches from touching. "Now tell me why you decide to aid the enemy, Crimson!?"

"Consigue tus putas manos de encima de ella, asesino!" We all turned around to the sound of some strange language rolling out of Corwin's tongue when he began to push himself off of the ground. Grunting and trembling to maintain his balance while trying to stand on his two feet, he turned around to meet both of his dark, brown eyes at Craig. "Let her go, asesino!"

Craig didn't follow Corwin's warning, keeping his clenched hand around my forearm, which is probably bruised by now. "Like I would want to take orders from a piece of Brahmin shit like you, bastard! And that stupid Latin language of yours now makes my ears bleed!"

"I beg to differ, Mr. Soldier." Arcade interject, putting his stethoscope inside a small, black bag with a red sign on one sign. "The language Mr. Recruit here is speaking is definitely not Latin. It's actually Spanish, a Pre-War language that was derived from Latin as one of the three romance languages. Asesino...I believed he said murderer?"

Corwin dust off the dry blood and dirt off of his nearly exposed body, arms and legs while eyeing Arcade. "You may say that, but I prefer assassin. A much more threatening word than a less serious word like murderer." He walked forward a few steps, but was stopped by Terence holding a set of leather clothing like the one he is wearing. "Get out if my way!"

"Please, sir," Terence held the leather armor out in front of Corwin. "I may suggest you change out of your faction armor immediately if you wish to prevent further bloodshed from the Crimson Caravan Company, as they are part of the NCR."

All Corwin can do while Terence is standing in front him was make a revolting feature on his face. "Shove off, merc." He walked around the caravan merchant, ignoring everyone he walked by while his dark brown irises are locked on Craig with his hand still clenched on my arm. "What I actually said was for you to get your fucking hand off her, asesino! You don't want your precious lover to have bruises solely from your temper."

Even though Craig unlatched his hand off of my arm, but made himself as a shield in front of me to avoid Corwin from taking one more step towards me. "She is not my lover, bastard!" He growled. "I don't know what makes you so special to her, but I sure as hell don't want you near her even though she was the reason why you are still walking!"

Corwin's eyes widen at Craig. "Like I would believe that, asesino! A fucking courier bitch with a fake condition saving my life!?"

"Look who's fucking talking!" Craig yelled at him. "If you think I can believe all of those inflicted marks and blood all over you, I am not buying it one bit! All you're trying to do is creating a ruse in order to find an opening and snatch Crimson away from me!"

"If you must know, asesino," Corwin yelled back. "Caesar himself ordered his Frumentarii to dispose of me after I stood up against the Son of Mars's leadership after his so called headache had prevented him from instructing another mission for us to do. How can that pile of old trash lead an army if all he can do is complain, complain, complain!"

"Like I can believe that, bastard!" Craig growled.

"Well, if you don't believe my reason to my appearance, how can I believe about what you said about that degenerate!?" Corwin clenches his hands tightly, looking like he was about to strike a punch at Craig's face.

Craig moved away to reveal myself to Corwin. "Ask her yourself." He walked around the Legionary so he can make his way towards the carriage. Knowing how pissed of he is at my actions, I'm assuming he wouldn't want to be involved while I am talking to the recruit.

I eyed at the annoyed Legionary in front of me in silence. With my mind filled with so much guilt from helping out the enemy behind mu companions back, I twist my head slightly to the left to avoid even more eye contact from Corwin. "Fucking hate this feeling..." I mumbled, hoping Corwin won't hear what I said.

"Is it true?" I moved my head back at Corwin, his face soften up and eyes full of confusion. "Did you actually go against your friends to aid me?" He lift his hand up and placed it on the left side of my face.

I swallowed a lump on my throat, feeling the heat burning on my face. "Yes, what Craig said is true. But I-" I was instantly stopped from Corwin bringing my face forward to have his lips smashed against mine. "Mm!?" I muffled. It's like back at the robotics factory, but it's more calm than before.

Much like Craig's kiss...

Corwin part his lips away from me, but kept his face close to mine to avoid looking at my companions. "Mi amor," Corwin whispered, his face softened now. "your eyes are just as I remembered four years ago. They shined so brighter than the full moon at night." He leaned his face forward against the right side of my face. "Te amo..."

Te amo? I thought to myself. What does that mean?

The spot where my scar is at began to throb as a memory clip began to surface in my eyes, in which I shut them tight from the intense pain. I am standing at the same spot where all of the perished bodies are lying around, except I looked far off into the west and noticed a group of people having their rifles pointed at the area where several tents are filled with blood and corpses. "Maylene, mi hermana!" I noticed Corwin holding a small, lifeless body in his arms with endless years streaming down his face. The little corpse has the same hair and skin color as Corwin from my past.

Could that be his little sister?

Corwin kept hugging the little corpse, raising his head up at me. But the devastated expression on his face filled with tears turned dramatically to an alarming one. "Go! You've got to get out of here!"

I felt my past self lowered the eyebrows down. What do you mean!? I went to go turn around, but I felt something touch the back of my head, like the end of a gun's barrel.

"Say still!"

My eyes widen at the voice, the very recognizable voice that made my whole body shut down. I turned slowly, my breathing at a ten-fold as I looked passed my goggles at a 1st Recon beret on his shaved head, his cold and bitter eyes locked with mine behind his dark tinted glasses, and his scoped rifle pointed at me.

Craig!?

I snapped my eyes opened once I got back to reality, still feeling myself within Corwin's embrace. Using all the strength in my arms, I shoved Corwin five feet away from where I am standing. I stared back at the surprised Legionary, showing him my own surprised look. "H-How...!?" Horror-stricken at the memory of Craig in my memory, now it's all but a huge question mark as to why two snipers of opposing factions ended up in my past!

"What was that?" Corwin spoke to me. "What just happened a little bit ago?"

I placed my hand over the spot where my scar is at, still feeling the after affects of that sudden headache I had. "A memory...seeing you holding a small kid in your arms." I eyed Corwin with confusion. "Is that kid your sister, who you said Maylene?"

Corwin's eyes widen as the size of gecko eyes. "Y-Yes..." He turned his head away from me while clenching his teeth together. "My sister that was killed by that soldier lover of yours back at Bitter Springs. You arrived there, horrified at the atrocities the sniper division of the NCR has made, all you did was stand there while I was shouting for you leave that place." He only moved his hazel eyes at me. "Until you turned around to have his end of his rifle point at your face."

So, what Corwin was saying to me about me being in the mysterious Bitter Springs was true, and about protecting me from being shot at from Craig. But, there is still more I wanted to know about my past with him and Craig. A lot more...

"Hey, Crimson," Veronica shouting my name snapped me out of my trance. "we better ge going if we are going to venture on foot."

"On foot?" I raised an eyebrow, walked away from Corwin to meet up with the rest of my companions. "What do you mean on foot?"

"Unfortunately the Crimson Caravan Company can't let us lend one of their Brahmin." Terence walked over to Veronica's side. "so, I've nominated Mr. Willis to carry the carriage while the rest of us walked along side him. With our weight in the carriage, Mr. Willis is incapable of pulling the carriage with just brute strength alone."

"I get to help people. Yay!" Willis cheered, grabbing the two wooden poles to lift the front portion of the carriage up.

"That means leaving that Legionary behind, Ms. Courier." Arcade pushed his glasses up. "It would be less of a leverage to have him around while the atmosphere is filled with such unwanted hostility if he sticks around."

I shook my head from side to side. "As much as every one of you wanted me to kick Corwin out to the curb, but I for one think we should bring Corwin along on our trip to the Mojave Outpost."

"Then I am keeping my distance..." Craig growled, moving his face towards the other direction. I guess I even pulled a bigger nerve on him.

"An' 'ow are ya goin' t' do that, Crims?" Eric dropped the filter part of his cigarette onto the ground. "Once he sets foot on th' outpost, he's nothin' but NCR's movin' target. Like Recon, fer example."

"Well, I have my own reasons as to why Corwin should tag along." I replied. "But right now we need to start moving if we are ever going to head southwest of the Mojave. But, you guys are going to have to trust me on this. No matter how pissed off you can be towards me, be that all you want, I don't care." I turned my back towards my companions and started walking away from them. Maybe with a nice walk, I can probably vent out whatever build up of rage I have within me before things get worse.


-Craig-

Why, Crimson? I kept my face looking the other direction after my so called courier companion go off and help that damn Legionary instead of leaving him to the dogs. What's even more fucked is how she decides to welcome the bastard into the circle. Well, over my fucking dead body he'll venture with us!

"Mr. Solder," I saw the doc blocking my view from where Crimson is positioned several feet from the carriage. "I believe this might help you with your arm for a while." He injected some of the Stimpak contents onto my shoulder, only one-third of the liquids. "I hate to say this, but you're going to have that sling on you for the next five hours and let the medicine do its work. As in no punching or holding your armament."

Great, now I can't use my good arm to punch the fucking daylights out of that bastard! "Thanks..." I replied in defeat, pushing myself off of the carriage so the new addition, a ghoul super mutant hybrid, can pull it while the rest of us walk towards our destination to the Mojave Outpost.

The Legionary recruit caught up to my walking pace once I got near his boundaries. "She's going to have to know someday, assassin." I saw him turning his head to have those disgusting hazel eyes piercing right at me from the corner of my eye. "You can't hide her away from the truth."

"Know about what?" I growled, not making an eye contact with him.

"That day in Bitter Springs four years ago," just the mention of that cursed place from him got me really ticked. "and how you almost killed her on the spot."

I stopped immediately and turned my head at him with my eyes wide open. "What are you fucking talking about!? I never seem nor knew of her back then! You must be mistaken by someone else that looks like her."

The recruit sneered at me. "Or do I? Maybe you haven't looked inside the box when you have your scope spotted her head from a decent distance. Soon the past will come back to haunt you, assassin. And soon, you'll began to endure the same pain I've been dealing with for the past four years, except it's about that courier lover of yours." He started chuckling under his breath as soon as he walked away from me. I also noticed the traveling merchant handing him the leather texture armor for him to change out of the Legion attire. "Fine, I'll take it..." He whined as soon as he snatched it off of his hands.

I looked back at that day four years ago after the massacre happened, I was the first to run up towards the camp to find any more survivors lurking around and running as soon as the main troop left. I saw that guy with the caravan outfit, head all covered with a wide brimmed hat, face mask and dark tinted goggles turning at my direction with the barrel portion of my rifle. But that can't be Crimson nor does that person look anything like her. Maybe that damn bastard was trying to play with my mind like he had with Crimson's. I shook my head a few time to avoid the Legionary fuck's words buried into my mind before I continued walking with the battalion. Crimson, whatever your reason as to why you've recruited that bastard, you better have a good explanation. I would hate to have my heart broken if you decide to side with the enemy.

I love you too much to have you as my enemy...


After nearly three hours of walking from the Crimson Caravan Company, we traveled through the broken road of highway 95 and follows our way through there. The blistering sun shining down on us, fucking sweating because of the dark clothing and leather material I am wearing. Just wish the Mojave Outpost has a much more shorter distance than this. Well, there is, but if we were to take I-15, we would be walking across Deathclaw Central.

Gurblublub...

I felt my stomach growled, hell it even rattled against my leather armor to much to my surprise. "Ugh..." I groaned while I raised my arm against my empty stomach. I haven't ate anything since I left the Atomic Wrangler.

Willis, the ghoul mutant hybrid, began to slow down a bit. His panting was pretty audible for us to hear. "Please..." He huffed. "can we...stop for...a moment..." He dropped the front part of the carriage down and fell flat on his huge torso. "I'm hungry..." He whined.

"You're telling me," Veronica replied with her hands behind her hood. "I'm do hungry, so can eat a Bighorner. Isn't there a rest stop around here where we can just sit and eat for a while?"

Terence looked the map he is holding in front of him. "Hmmm, I believe the local Gulp n' Grub rest stop is nearby. just not too far from here." He fold the map back into a small square. I say we make an hour rest and help ourselves some lunch."

"Shoooowhee!" Eric whistled. "Glad I'm not gonna scuff m' soles t" th' bone fer th' next few days. Let's git us some steaks!"

"I prefer Iguana bites," Veronica giggled while helping Willis up back to his feet. "though the aftertaste is a bit overpowering, but I always top it off with a nice baked potato and Nuka-Cola!"

"Well," Simon spoke with his plasma rifle resting on his right shoulder. "if there is any edible grub for us to munch on, I hope that'll give us enough energy for all of us to continue with what we need to do. I hate to keep my boss waiting for a long periods of time. Especially Jean-Baptiste, right rookie?"

I remained silent as soon as we got to the small area with a shack, a couple of booths, a few wooden tables and Brahmin. I wish I can at least speak one word to them, but I still have tha knot in my stomach after recruiting Corwin, now in a different armor than his Legion attire, into our group. What's worse is having Craig really pissed at me for doing that. "Yeah..." Was all I can say once we all settled in.

"Something wrong, Ms. Courier?" I noticed Arcade walking beside me using his left index finger to push his glasses up. "I see a dark cloud hovering your amnesiac head of yours."

I eyed back at the doctor, pulling both my eyebrows together into one line. "Dark cloud over my head? It's pretty sunny outside with a few clouds in the sky." Whatever Arcade is talking about, it sure confused me. "Actually, never mind Arcade. Knowing your smartass nature and trying to decipher what you're trying to tell me, I am not in the mood to speak to anyone right now."

I heard a small chuckle echoed out if the doctor's throat. "Is it about your concern with Mr. Soldier and your decision to have Mr. Recruit accompany us?"

"I said I don't want to speak to anyone right now!" I yelled at him, making everyone else turned to look at me. "Get the fuck off my back!" I really don't need anyone to remind me of both the snipers of opposing factions within a few feet from each other. I walked over to the shack and leaned my back against the wall next to the door.

Everyone got to their seats on the wooden tables after ordering their selected meals to eat, except for me, Craig and Willis. "So, anybody want to talk about something while we wait?" Terence spoke while holding a water bottle.

"I got one." Corwin answered immediately, crossing his arms over his new armor. "How about we all talk about the time the NCR positioned at Bitter Springs four years ago!? I'm highly curious about that kind of subject."

The fuck!? Why would Corwin do that knowing Craig wouldn't mention a single word about that place I don't know!? Unless he wants the NCR sniper to talk about the atrocities that happened during that time. But the question is: Why did Craig and the sniper division shoot down all those people four years ago from what my memory showed me? "Just drop it..." Craig growled before I can at least defend him.

"Bitter Spring..." Azrael spoke, standing beside Terence. "I remember that place was gunned down by the NCR, a bunch o-"

"I SAID DROP IT!" Craig yelled. "ONE WORD OUT OF THAT, AND I WONT HESTITATE TO USE MY RIFLE AND SHOOT ALL OF YOU DOWN!"

Arcade cleared his throat. "If you've forgotten, I told you to not use your arm in any way such as punching or drawing out your weapon for the next five hours. You need to let the Stimpak do it's work until then. But until then, since you're one of the soldiers that was involved in that event, what happened?"

"Guys, don't push him." I warned, since I was the one that was reminded by Craig himself to never mention that place to him whatsoever. Seems like I am the only one that has to defend the soldier. "He doesn't need to to tell you anything if he's not comfortable talking about it. Just l-"

"We won..." Craig groaned, exhaling out his nostrils.

Everyone went silent for a while. "That's it? You won?" Simon asked.

"Look, we might have been traveling for a while," Craig spoke to everyone. "but we are not in the lines of being comrades-in-arms. I'm not ready to swap war stories. Not only that, reminding me about Bitter Springs is a big N-O to me. Let's just change the subject..."

"Why's that, asesino?" Corwin glared at Craig from the table. "Don't you want to remember the time you almost shot a wandering civilian in those campgrounds," I saw him turned to me. "right?"

I snapped my head at Corwin with my eyes bugged out. I wish he could just heed Craig's warning instead of furthering the subject. Although, knowing Corwin's past involving Craig, I doubt he'll ever let go. "I don't know what you're talking about..." I lift myself off if the wall and walked off towards the open area near the back if the shack. I really need to vent for a bit before I lose my mind from Corwin.

"Crimson, wait." Craig spike, but him alone is not enough for me to stop walking.

Can't believe I go against everyone's complaints and brought that Legionary with us, how fucking stupid of me. I heard another set of footsteps training behind me as soon as I stopped several feet from the shack. Slowly grabbing my laser rifle, I quickly brought it out of its holster and turned to to aim it at the nearly immobilized Craig. I had to gulp from aiming at my companions. "Uhhh..."

"How about I aim my gun at you for a while, see how you like it!" He growled under his breath.

"Hey, you've already did that once back at Novac, so we're even!" I kept glaring at those eyes filled with spite, making me shrink with intimidation. "Sorry..." I lowered my weapon down from his face. "just heard some footsteps from behind me. Didn't know that it could be you." I placed my laser rifle back into its holster.

Craig smiled and chuckled. "You've gotten a little better since the last time I snuck up on you. I'll give you that...for a novice at perception." He reached into his arm sling and pulled out a red apple in his left hand. "Can't let you go in an empty stomach."

I turned my head to the left. "Not hungry..." I continued walking forward towards a medium sized rock yards from the shack for me to sit. I flinched at the sight of Craig sitting next to me on the rock. "Aren't you going to eat with the others?"

"I rather not..." He answered. "One more hint of that wretched place from that bastard and I feel like popping everybody's head off their shoulders. I rather not talk about it right away, not even to you." He offered me the same apple again.

"Let me guess..." I sighed, grabbing apple off of his left hand. "you want me to make good on my promise to fight the Legion with you, is that it?" I bite off a huge chunk of the apple with my teeth.

He shrugged his shoulders, smiling a little. "I don't know. Couldn't hurt." He chuckled for a bit, but stop to have my head turned slightly to see me. "But it's still fucked up to recruit that Legion bastard into our battalion, knowing he might have some plans up his sleeve. And I hope you have a good fucking reason to do that."

I swallowed the contents down my throat so I can at least speak. "I rather not discuss it with anyone else. They might assume I am part of the Legion if I told them he popped up in my memory." I released a sigh from my lungs. "But, only you I can trust...hopefully."

"You're like me, in a way." Craig nod his head to the side. "But you haven't answered my question."

I turned my head to meet his gaze. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, Craig. But..." I lowered my eyes to the ground while blowing some wind through my nose. "I need answers about my past...why he is involved, and why mentioned Bitter Springs before we left the Crimson Caravan Company. This whole subject about it is leaving a huge question mark above my head."

Craig kept himself quiet after my reasoning, turning his head towards the east. "Again, you're like me."

"Huh?" I eyed back to him.

"I am still wondering why he is in your memory since Nelson." He began. "shocking as it seems the first time that happened, but that is my sole reason why I am searching for answers from him. Even if it means using the tactics I told you on him, I won't stop until I get what I want."

"You sound determined from what I'm hearing." I hand Craig my apple, showing him the unbitten side of it. "Never knew this side of you."

Craig grabbed and examined the apple in between his fingers on his left hand. "There's a lot you don't know about me, things that I rather not mention nor talk about. And some I've already told you like Carla."

That name again...and the pain in my torso again. I don't know why I feel so different now that Craig mentioned his wife again. Almost feels like I want to throw up the apple out of my stomach. "You still have your wife in your mind even though she's deceased, right?" Guess I got no choice but to blow off some steam out of me.

"What do you mean?" Craig asked, biting on the apple.

I gulped. "You keep mentioning your wife from time to time. It's great that you still love her...but, I feel this burning sensation within my chest cavity. I didn't want to tell you about my problem mainly because of your love for her. And I-"

"Have you ever loved someone before?" He interrupted me. I looked to see Craig with his head down and face looking a little reddish than seconds ago.

"How should I know..." I glumly eyed him. "I don't remember anything before Benny shot me. What does that have to do with you loving your wife?"

Craig turned his head back towards me. "Yeah, I loved my wife, I really did."

"Did?" I raised an eyebrow.

He nod once. "Yeah...but, I had a talk with hunter back in Camp McCarran while you, Brotherhood and Boots went off on your mission elsewhere. I talked to him about us, how my past constantly hurting you from what he said, and the trust we have...or had."

I blinked a few times. "In other words?"

"I made myself a promise," he replied. "to change myself and start anew. Because of my past with my dead wife, and constantly talking to you about her left a huge fissure in our trust. What I'm saying is...that you're the first person since her that I've felt comfortable talking to. Feeling comfortable talking about my horrendous past that all my suicidal thoughts are vanishing." He soften up and formed a gentle smile. "If it hadn't been for you, or maybe that caravaner saving me four years ago, I don't think I would walk to this day."

"Caravaner?" I asked.

He nod once, maintaining his smile. "First time I saw him was back at Bitter Springs where that Legion bastard was at, holding some body against his. I held my rifle at that person, assuming he might be one of the inhabitants of that place only to have that piece of shit making a jump at me for killing his sister..."

I flinched back, hearing his past that coincide with mine. But how can I tell him that it was me that was at the end of his rifle!? "And...the second time?"

"He rescued me a month before I was about to leave the NCR." Craig continued. "I was ambushed by the raiders one night while walking back from Camp Forlorn Hope to McCarran. He managed to kill all of them...hell, he even used some healing powder on my scars and put a wrap around one huge gash on my right arm. He left without saying anything to me before I can show him my deepest gratitude. I even stopped searching for him after a week or two...giving up hope to say thank you."

A strange feeling traveling through me after hearing Craig and the mysterious caravan savior seems awfully familiar. My head began to throb once more, but this time it made mw clutch onto my head. "N-Not...again..." I groaned until I saw myself holding a laser rifle at one of the raiders, like what I remember back in Camp McCarran. After all of the raiders were dealt with, I looked down to see Craig with cuts on some parts of his body and face, even a huge gap on his right forearm.

"You again, from Bitter Springs!?" The Craig in my memory yelled. "What the hell do you want with me!?"

I saw myself holding a vial with the yellow powder in it, possibly the healing powder, in my left hand. Putting some of the dust onto my fingers, I tried to cover the minor scars only to have Craig swat my arm away. Baffled at his gesture, I didn't hold back. I grabbed his right shoulder and rubbed the powder on his cuts, much to his protest. I also saw myself ripping off part of the cloth from a recently killed ghoul and wrapped it around his gash, like what Craig did back at the REPCONN Test Site near Novac. I stood back up to my feet and walked away from him before I snapped my eyes open to the present time. "H-Huh!?"

"What, Crimson?" Sounds like Craig sounded worried. "Another memory?"

I turned slowly to the sniper, now finally realizing who the caravan savior is: Me. "Craig, there's something I have t-" I was about to tell him about the memory I just have, only to see a few figures moving toward our direction. "What's that?"

Craig turned around, then stood up while pulling a strange pitch black item from his big pocket on his pants leg and placed it over his eyes. "Legion! They're assassins!" He quickly lowered the device and turned to me. "We need to warn the others and tell them about it!"

"Right!" I got up off the rock and ran with Craig towards the rest of the battalion. "Guys," I shout out loud, skidding myself to a halt near the tables. "we need to get going! There are Legion assassins coming from the far east!"

"What!?" Veronica whined. "But I haven't received my Iguana bites yet!"

I glared back at Veronica. "Veronica, preventing out lives from being killed or becoming slaves to the Legion is far more important than some iguana bites! We need to get moving!"

"But," Terence spoke. "how can you tell it's the Legion?"

Craig held up the strange device he used seconds ago. "Crimson spot them from afar while she and I were sitting on that rock yards from here. I used these binoculars to determined what they are. Seems like Crimson's perception and spotting is working out well than I expected."

Arcade pushed his glasses. "A good thing too, coming from Ms. Courier. But it's sheer coincidence for them to be coming to this destination," Arcade turned to Corwin. "correct, Mr. Recruit?"

Corwin snarled at the doctor. "I told you they dispose of me after I rebelled against Caesar!"

"Then why are they coming over here if they knew you'd be here?" Veronica spoke.

"They don't know I am here!" Corwin yelled again. "If you must know, this is one of the roads that leads to The Fort. Legion use this roads to find any wandering travelers to make them as their slaves and bring them back into their camps. Mainly Legionary assassins come here to do this and even kill of any NCR soldiers off from their path, in which I-95 is dubbed 'Assassin's Road' by many of the NCR and travelers alike. I know all this because I used this road too while I was with them."

I heard a couple of bullets ricocheting through the shack beside us. Even some bullets hit the heads of the rest stop owners, killing them instantly before they could give my traveling companions their food. I turned to see five Legionaries having their guns point at us. "Oh shit, we need to run!" I yelled.

"Rookie, hand me your weapon for a second while we try to out run them!" Simon said, extending his arm out.

I quickly brought my weapon out if its holster and tossed it towards Simon while every one of us kicked our asses into gear. We ran and followed the road towards south, now trying ro find the nearest settlement to lose the assassin from make us their new slaves for their leader. "Holy tarnation, they're fast d'spite havin' metal armor 'n skirts!" Eric yelled, slipping his fingers through his spiked, brass knuckles. "Time t' give 'em hell, fellers!"

"No!" I yelled at Eric while we ran from the chasing Legion. "We keep running until we find a place to hide from them. If more come, then we gave no choice but to barge out way through."

"You might want to rethink your plan, Courier Crimson." Azrael warned, making me look forward and noticed three more Legionary assassins with their guns point at us.

We all slowed down to a stop, knowing that they've already surrounded us this time. "So, what's the new plan now, captain?" Veronica readied her Power Fist on her right hand.

Simon hand me my laser rifle back, now with a few modifications such as the front having two slots instead of one, and a scope like Craig's except more square-ish and gray. I held my weapon with both hands as I took a deep breath. "Hold nothing back!" I fired off a round at the Legion member in front of me.


-Craig-

Glad Crimson has the thought on attacking the Legion instead of running head first and have her head shot at. But the bad thing is that my right arm is still immobilized from being dislocated. If only the few hours is up, I can use my rifle again. But my machete would do just fine for now. "Ngh!" It's almost like a sword fight against the Legion with the centurion armor wielding the same weapon as mine. "D-Damn it, could use some assistance here!" I yelled.

Just then, a beam of red light shot onto the centurions face, making him into nothing but ash with the gold plated armor landing on top of it. Whoa, the way he was shot and the red beam appearing like in the past...déjà vu. "I got your back, Craig!" Crimson shout, having her back against mine.

"Yeeehaw!" I saw hunter landing a punch on one of the assassin's gut, but not enough to push him down. "Fuck, this guy's helluva fighter!" The two kept exchanging punches ne after another.

"Shit, there are more coming!" The Legion bastard yelled from behind me. While Crimson has her weapon aimed and fired at a steadfast Legionary, I turned towards the south and noticed five more coming with spears and Super Sledges. "We can't ward off this many!"

"Well, if you hadn't been tagging along with us, none if this would've happened!" The doc yelled, aiming a small pistol at the one with a dog's head as headwear.

"Shut up, asshole!" The bastard yelled just when he twist one of the heads of one of the members quickly. "I told you they don't know that I am with you guys!"

"Shit, I'm cornered!" Crimson's coworker has two Legionnaires throwing their spears at him. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" With just those fighting against one with a slow shooting gun, I doubt he'll pull through.

"HRAAAAAAH!" The ghoul mutant hybrid suddenly ran to one of the recruits with a helmet on on and grabbed it by the ankle. He hit the Legionary three times on the broken road, lift him up one last time before slamming him down about eight time. "Hmph, puny killer..."

The katana wielding bodyguard, now in a some stealth suit with a yellow mask covering on the front bearing a skull insignia on it, sliced one of the arms from one of the Legionary that was fighting off against the Silver Rush bodyguard. "We can't defend ourselves longer if more are going to appear!"

"Ms. Crimson, do you have any alternatives?" The caravan merchant shout, aiming his pistol at one Legionary fighting against hunter.

"I have the NCR Emergency Radio with me, I'll radio in back-up!" Crimson asked, bringing out her own NCR Emergency Radio she got from the 188 Trading Post. "NCR, I repeat, NCR! This is courier Crimson of Battalion 21 with an urgent request for back-up, immediately!" There was a small pause, followed by a gasp. "Look out, Craig!" I was too busy machete fighting with another Legionary when I notices a shadow coming towards mw with a Super Sledge. I turned around to witness the flat surface of the weapon hitting the right part of Crimson's head. I didn't see any more movement coming from the courier after she land on the ground.

"Crimson!" I yelled once I shoved the assassin a foot from me before stabbing my weapon into his chest. I went to reach my rifle with my right arm, but I've forgotten all about the damn sling."Oh fuck this!" I yanked the sling off my right arm, running over to the Legion who knocked Crimson out, grabbed his neck and shoved him down to the ground. I wish I can heed to the doctor's instruction regarding my right arm, but this is fucking urgent. "How." I growled once I started landing punches in the Legionary's face. "Could. You. Hurt. MY. CRIMSON!?" My mind went so blank from rage building up in me, I began to feel like my body is on autopilot. Like what I've did back in the military. I kept pinching the asshole's face again and again and again until both his face is unrecognizable and my hands are covered in his dirty blood.

"Hop shit, pardner! Nice punchin'!" Hunter land one final punch with his spiked, brass knuckles on another member's face. "Look out, Recon!"

I turned around to see one Legionary running, grabbing the super sledge from the ground as he made his way towards me. I don't think I am capable enough to block that huge melee weapon with just my hands. "Guess I got no choice." I raised my right arm up quickly for my rifle but I noticed a small, dark green gecko with some metal armor and red bandana leaping onto the Legionary's face, clawing and scratching it. "Huh?"

"Keep it up, Kip!" A feminine voice from the past echoed front the southeast direction.

"Natalie!" Brotherhood squealed. "Long time no see, buddy!"

"Natie!?" Hunter yelled. "What're ya doin' 'ere!?"

"Stop calling me that, Eric!" Boots, or Private Natalie Sanders, yelled out, stabbing one of the Legion with her switchblade. "I received the distress call from Crimson through my radio when I was just near the Grub n' Gulp rest stop. I'm quite surprised I heard gun fighting from far off in the distance. But what happened to Crimson!?"

I walked up to the knocked out Crimson on the ground, turning her over to her back. "One of the Legion knocked her out with one of those melee weapons. She hadn't gone back up since then."

A few more gun shots were heard behind me, seeing Boots kneeling down and placed two fingers on the courier's neck. "A slight pulse, but she's still unconscious. You need to get her to the nearest settlement, 1st Recon. Don't try to look back and help the rest of our battalion, Crimson's life is important!"

She's right, Crimson's life is important! With the help from Boots, we quickly picked the unconscious courier onto my back with my arms holding tight under her legs. "I'll be in Novac, everyone!" I shout at the battalion. "Look for the big, Dino statue!" I began to run with Boots beside me with her shotgun in her hands.

"Kip," Boots called to her gecko pet. "come along! We need to escort 1st Recon and Crimson to a safe haven!" Once the gecko leaped and cling onto her left shoulder, the both of us made a run for it away from the rest of the battalion fighting against the rest of the assassins. "Who knew there would be more of the Legion here in I-95's Assassin's Road than before." She mumbled to herself.

I hate to say, but I am please that a low ranked NCR soldier was nearby to assist the battalion. But it was Crimson that send the distress call, and without her making a quick-thinking decision, we would've been goners. "I know..." I growled, pushing my legs to the max through the highway that leads towards my former settlement. Thinking about the unconscious courier on my back, I've tried so hard to fight the tears stinging my eyelids. Crimson, please wake up! I think it's time I tell you about Bitter Springs