One Head and a White Lie

I managed to find a tattered rag outfit on the remains of dead tribals, a good pair of boots, and a decent pair of jeans in the mess. I threw on my pack and loaded it full of gear for the walk back to Phoenix. On my way out of the scorched ruins of the once grand tribe of Have-Su, I found some dead legionaries who had been killed in the first wave that the corpse retrieval teams missed. I thought that I had to come back to Phoenix with some kind of proof that I was still on the Resistance's side.

I thought it over for a few minutes… Then, I begrudgingly cut the head off of a sun baked legionary. I stuffed the head into my pack once the last of the blood poured onto the sands, and I wrapped it in the rags of two red tunics. I moved my food rations, fire starters, and essentials into my leather satchel in order to avoid contamination by the wrapped head. I was going to tie the hair of the fallen legionary to the straps on my pack, but the dead men were shaved headed. Doing what I did was unbearably disgusting, but the dead legionary's head I acquired definitely looked the part, and would hopefully prove something if needed. I then picked through more legionary pockets for little "trophies."

I walked on until the village was just a faint smoke cloud in the distance. Every now and then, I would encounter a patrol of legionaries, and they'd stop me. I told them that I was one of the Frumantarii, and I greeted them in the name of Caesar. They would apologize and let me go, but I occasionally had to show them the Mark of Caesar that I was sure to put back in my bag underneath the head.

Western Arizona was on the frontier of Legion territory, so the patrols became much less frequent. Upon leaving the territory, the Wasteland became much more dangerous. Surviving for years in the wastes got me pretty good at avoiding the roving packs of sand scorpions, Gila beasts, and the occasional deathclaw. Even when I started to encounter more people as I got closer to the Civilized Valley, they were generally packs of raiders or preppers. Occasionally, I did come across a super mutant raiding group.

There weren't too many super mutants in the Arizona Wastes. I remember growing up back in California and hearing stories about a "Vault Dweller" who saved the world from an army of super mutants about 70 or so years before I was born, but they were just stories. There were still plenty of the big, green, and armed humanoids back in California, but they supposedly wandered in groups and stayed in the wild lands north of NCR territory. Simple travel advice said that as long as you were with an armed group; you were generally okay. It was also said that after they were destroyed all those years ago, many wandered east never to be seen again. Shortly after settling in Arizona, I learned that some of them ended up in in the Sonoran Wastes, and stuck around to make small fortresses dotting the wasteland where they sought revenge on the human race who destroyed their "Master."

After about three days, I saw Luke AFB in the distance, signifying the western edge of the Civilized Valley. I encountered a few patrols of the old soldiers that still inhabited the base, but I steered clear to avoid being taken in for questioning. Coming from the direction of the wrecked Have-Su villages didn't look good on my part, so I ended up looping towards the north to approach Phoenix from that direction. The Phoenix valley traded with people all over the Sonoran Wastes, but word spread surprisingly fast, and I knew the fall of Have-Su would've reached them. Upon reaching the north road, I began to see more people, and even refugees heading towards Phoenix. In my long two weeks away, Phoenix had become even more of a beacon of safety following the Legion's expansion.

By mid-day of the following day, I finally reached the outskirts of Phoenix that was packed with people going about their business. The head in my pack was just starting to let off a nearly overbearing smell of rot, even under all that wrapping. As I walked down the main road towards the gate, I got the feeling that I was being watched. Being watched wasn't all that surprising considering the cargo I was carrying, but getting closer increased my unease. Walking by the tent hotel that I took Joshua, I walked through a crowd, and a large man wearing a gas mask shoved me out of nowhere. Before I could even shout, "What the Hell, MAN!?" he shoved me again into one of the tents where I was at the feet of Bailey, Doc Martin, and Mr. Swilling himself.

Mr. Swilling said as I stood to my feet and collected my bearing, "Have-Su has fallen to the Legion… Do you know how I know that?"

I dusted myself off and replied with certainty, despite my nervousness, "Because you have eyes everywhere, I know."

Staring at me with a blank expression, he said, "You were gone and unaccounted for, for almost three weeks… You weren't given an independent Op, and I demand an explanation."

I thought to myself that the jig was up, and I stood there paralyzed for a few seconds. I finally managed to utter, "So you know about my meeting in Legion territory?"

They all had a faint look of surprise. It was then that I read the room and realized that they were oblivious to what I said, or very good at pretending. Mr. Swilling's face quickly changed back to its serious state and he said, "Go on."

I patted the dust off some more, but maintained eye contact with the man, "You know that I met up with an old friend in Scottsdale, right?..."

None of them acknowledged with any nods or words, so I went on, "...I was assisting him with a drug shipment into Scottsdale from the Atomic Stalkers over by the standing gas station off I-17 north. Everybody knows the one… Instead, the raiders never showed, but we still had some samples from the last one…"

With a sigh, I said, "A Legion recon party considered the gas station up north as their territory, and we were arrested by their unit up there. I got captured, and I spent a while up at Camp Verde for their crime of drug trafficking…"

Still no change in expressions. I decided to continue on with the lie, "Before they could nail me to a cross, I got the slip on them and headed back here. I managed to kill one of them and stole some clothes from a group of prospectors or tribals on the way here."

They stared at me blankly for a full minute, and then Doc Martin said sternly, "Check his pack."

I frantically worried that they would find the "Mark of Caesar" at the bottom of my pack, but then remembered the other cargo in there.. When Bailey opened up the top and saw the blood-soaked wrapping for the head, a ferocious fume of decay from the desert heat emerged. Everyone gagged, and the horrendous fume caught up with all of us as I said, "I figured I would take some proof with me in case you all were suspicious."

Bailey carefully picked it up, unwrapped the mess, and observed the head while studying the legionary's left ear. She said, "This guy was definitely Legion, Jack. Got the marks on the left ear and everything."

It was then that I noticed the tiny tattoo on the head's left ear lobe, and I realized what an idiot I was. How had I not noticed the tiny ear tattoo on every legionary I saw uncovered in the past two weeks? I could have just chopped the ear off the guy! Instead, I hauled a whole God damned head through the desert and blistering heat for over three days straight!

Bailey placed the head into an empty crate, and closed the lid. Everyone continued to fan the fumes away, and Mr. Swilling asked, "What about your friend?"

I looked him in the eye and said, "He somehow got his ropes off on the move and ran into the desert presumably back to Scottsdale. I'm not sure of the details; I was pretty dehydrated by that point. Luckily, all the legionaries from the recon party only had spears and knives, so they couldn't do much when my friend took off."

Doc said, "And you were going to be crucified for drug trafficking?"

I responded simply with, "Yes"

They all stood there for a minute. Mr. Swilling turned his head towards the crate, "You know that we discourage drugs, and we battle those who peddle them, right? Even despite Phoenix's stance on the matter?"

I wasn't sure of the matter. I had Med-X and Psycho on me for most of the time I've been with them. I also saw the different medicinal chems and less powerful recreational ones strapped to Doc Martin's leather vest at that moment. I again wasn't sure what to make of that apparent contradiction, but I responded, "Yes."

He asked, "So what made you do it?"

I was somewhat relieved that they seemingly believed the story that I was a part-time drug smuggler rather than a drafted Legion agent. I said, "Like I said; I was with an old friend, and he convinced me to do it."

Pausing, he looked me over for a moment before saying, "I will let this event be punished by you alone, so don't worry; I won't have your friend harmed… Mr. Kekos' time will come."

I was shocked how Mr. Swilling knew the name of the man who walked me away from Bailey and Sykes during that run, and I asked, "You know my friend's name?"

He raised his glasses and replied, "Yes I do; he is the assistant to Mr. Markus Dinero, the Chief Ambassador of Scottsdale. Mr. Dinero's position forces him to work very closely with the government of Phoenix, and we are well aware of his personal assistant and right-hand man as well…"

He paused momentarily before continuing, "Because Scottsdale feels differently towards drugs than we do, we won't jeopardize Phoenix's relationship to them. Although, we are still investigating how exactly you know Mr. Kekos, and his perspective on the episode with the Legion… We unfortunately did not have eyes on the gas station during your visit to the north. We saw you ride off with someone in a ridiculous suit of metal armor, but his identity is also being investigated after your stay in the Bridgeton Towers. Because your story appears to check out and we currently cannot falsify it… We will take you at your word…"

I interrupted nervously, "What's going to happen to me?"

Mr. Swilling said, "20 lashes, back at the Capitol… Don't worry, we still think you are a good person, but this apparent drug business is going to stop, especially if it is going to make you disappear from your obligations to us without notice. Given your actions with us in the past, you can still take part on missions after the punishment."

Looking down I said, "I accept full responsibility."

Mr. Swilling gave motion for us to all sit down, and he changed his mood instantly by saying, "You know about Have-Su, right?"

I said, "I wasn't able to keep up with the news in a Legion cell, but you said it was taken?"

He solemnly said, "Yes, the Legion took it only days ago."

I asked plainly, "What does that mean for us?"

He said, "It means the west is cut off. The Colorado and the western fringe of Arizona is now under Legion control. This means our mission has changed."

Bailey and Doc Martin remained silent and staring at me while I asked, "How so?"

He continued, "The Legion is growing out of control, and now there isn't much we can do to stop it I'm afraid. So, our mission now is to assist in the evacuation of Phoenix."

"Evacuation!?" I thought. Shocked by the sudden news, I said, "What about your beloved Phoenix? What about holding it? What about battling the Legion?"

Mr. Swilling answered my questions with a speech he obviously rehearsed, likely to address everyone back at the Capitol while I was away. "This city is just a place. Phoenix's heart and soul is the people who live here, and that is what I care about. I will not let these people be massacred or enslaved for no good reason… The people of Phoenix have proven ever since its founding that even the most inhospitable desert cannot tame the spirit of man. Phoenix is not a place, but an idea. The people embody an idea that man can conquer Mother Nature and even prosper in the worst places on earth, and so… We will do it again, and far away from the Legion's shadow… After Have-Su fell, there isn't much standing in the way of Caesar's march on Phoenix. This means there isn't much time before the Legion has the strength it needs to mobilize its forces and kill or enslave everyone here. The people of Phoenix need to leave, and we are going to help… I have spoken to Master Walker and Mayor Sillen who all agree; we are leaving in a mass exodus..."

I thought about Caesar and that this evacuation plan was great… for him. If he wants Phoenix annihilated, he's just going to be able to march in and take it with everyone gone. While Mr. Swilling went on with his tirade, I thought even more about what exactly I was doing. I considered the lie I told them and wondered, "Why did I do that?" I should have just been honest with them by saying that I was conscripted by Joshua and forced to fight at Have-Su. If they asked how I escaped, I could have just been honest again by saying that Caesar wants me to spy for him. At least with honesty, I could've pledged my allegiance to the Resistance and solidified my stance with them. However, I didn't do that for some reason I couldn't quite figure out. I realized that my casual lie to seemingly save my own hide put me in too deep. Just like Mr. Dinero said on that first meeting with him, "Like it or not, intentional or not…" after my lie, I was Joshua's messenger.

Though I liked the Resistance and was disgusted by the Legion, I now had to play both sides. As Mr. Swilling concluded his speech, I realized that there was no going back to my shack in the desert at this point. Looking at Mr. Swilling who finished his speech and was awaiting some kind of response, I said;

"Let's get started."