It had been days since his departure, but after dodging the Hanza stations. The man in debt was going to be meeting with one of the most respected organizations in the Metro. "Eh, things could be worse."

People who had traveled to Polis did so with a diplomatic status or were a passing merchant coming with supplies or news from the other stations. Anyone else who was neither of those two would be kicked out by the Order. Hopefully, his reason for coming to the front gates of the Polis would help him.

When he continued to step forward within the tunnel, he was soon surprised when dozens of lights flashed before his very eyes. Bourbon raised his hands to protect his eyes as he heard a man's voice shouting at him. "Who goes there?"

He felt there was just more than one Polis Ranger watching him behind those lights. Whoever it was, he had to answer him quick before they fired upon him. "Um. My name's Bourbon, I bring an urgent message from the Northern Frontier. Particularly from the station of Exhibition." He answered.

"What brings a traveler from Exhibition here?" The voice asked.

"Threat from the north."

"We already sent a Ranger up there."

The Ranger wasn't wrong. They did send one of their best to come and assist the people there against the Dark Ones. "Yes you did, but he didn't return. However, the leader of the station sent me here to tell you that we're under attack and it's not by mutants."

"If it's the Nazis or the Reds, you're out of luck my friend."

"The attackers are neither of them." Bourbon replied. "We were attacked by some guys wearing red and almost dressed up like Romans. I also have some evidence from the battle to prove to the Council."

Minutes of silence was all that remained as the drunkard waited for a response. "Alright, you've been given clearance into Polis. Keep your hands up and walk into the light."

"Okay, okay." Then he recalled an old connection that might work. "May I get an audience with Colonel Miller?"

"No, he's indisposed at the moment."

Artyom sat quietly in his chair as Johnson Nash sat across from him with a bottle in his hands. "So, you're looking for that white-checkered fella. What reason do you have with him?"

The stalker expressed a smile. "Stole my gun. I want it back."

"Stole your gun, you seemed angry. Why is that?"

"It belonged to someone who taught me how to survive." He answered.

Nash nodded his head, understanding the young man's situation. "Well, I don't know anything other than the fact he passed through here, but our deputy might help."

"Deputy? Who is that?"

"Second in command to the sheriff, people who make sure the town is nice and clean. They also keep the criminals back should someone cause some trouble." He took one swig at his alcohol. "Either the sheriff is locked up in his house, keeping the gangers back, or he's already dead. So the only one left is the deputy, but knowing him he's not capable of 'fending himself on his own."

Curious about what this deputy, Artyom spoke. "Where is this deputy?"

"Across the street in the large building. The rest of the gangers are wholed up there, trying to get us out of Primm."

"Why would they do that? The soldiers are just on the other side and could storm the building."

Nash shrugged his shoulders. "Gangers want their own territory and they're smart about it." He explained. "The NCR is spread out in multiple directions and should someone start causing problems here, they wouldn't have enough men to hold it. Those men on the other side of the bridge won't be helping us anytime soon. The best they can do is tell people to keep moving along while they contain the gangers."

Artyom leaned back at his predicament. The situation is not looking for him. Worst of all, he wouldn't have any assistance that he would normally get in the Metro or the Dead City. "What if I can take them out?"

Johnson raised an eyebrow at that proposal. "You? All by yourself? I don't know about you, youngster, but it would require at least three to five people. The people in this building don't have the guts to storm a building just like you. I don't know if you should be risking your life to get a deputy who could be a dead man as well."

"Perhaps, but I am good at what I do."

"You're going to have to prove it then. While you did take on three guys, there is about a dozen gangers in the building. I doubt you'll be able to handle them all by yourself."

The stalker knew his odds. "If I don't come back in the morning. You know I'm already dead."

"Good luck then."

Artyom stood up as he loaded his next magazine into his silenced Bastard. Unlike the bandits of the Metro, he didn't have the shadows to help him out. He was going to storm the building all by himself. As he began to walk out of the well-armed townspeople, he quickly ran across the street and made his way towards the front door.

Then a thought occurred to him. There was always an alternate entrance. Instead of using the main entrance, Artyom began to walk around the building from the right side as he began to check around the corner for any members of these powder gangers. Once he reached to the other side of the building, he saw a figure standing in the coasters above the ground.

The sentry displayed a complete disregard to his duty as he held a bottle in his hand. Good, the powder ganger was not paying attention. A price he would have to pay for simply being lazy.

He raised his Bastard and lined up the sights to the man's head, who remained underneath the moonlight. He had forgotten how much time had passed ever since he killed the previous group. Artyom pulled the trigger, enough for a single bullet.

Blood escaped from the other side of the powder ganger's head as his body fell forward and dropped into the sands. The sentry was down; however, there had to be a reason why he was on guard duty on that particular part of the railings. His eyes trailed upon the man's post and began to trace them into the building. It was connected to the door. "I doubt they would have a few guards on the other side of the building."

After running to find a way onto the railing, Artyom climbed his way up and felt a sense of sickness upon him. It wasn't the height that he was worried about, but it was the fall. If there was one matter this roller coaster had in common with the railings of the Dead City, disrepair. One bad step could be the end of him.

When he arrived at the alternate entrance, the stalker slowly turned the knob with his Bastard's barrel slipping into the opening into the doorway. As he scanned through, he found the doorway lead into a hallway. Artyom slipped through the doorway and closed it on his way in with his submachine gun at the ready. He peaked around the corner and saw two men walking within the hallway's confine.

The stalker aimed down his sights and made two taps on the trigger.

Deputy Beagle remained uncomfortable in his bindings as the powder gangers were outside of the kitchen minding their own business. The door to his right was an option, but it lead to a locked door that could only be opened by a key or someone with very good lock-picking. He didn't have both of course, but he wondered what the powder gangers would do to him later on.

He had overheard their conversation about using him as a hostage for the NCR and the townspeople. Even if the NCR assaulted the building, he was locked behind their 'stronghold' they could potentially kill him.

Beagle heard the sounds of a door knob turning on his right. Why would someone open through that part of the building? As it swung open, a young man stepped through a doorway with an automatic weapon that he had never seen before. It definitely was not a 10mm or a 9mm submachine gun. "Who are you?"

The young man turned his full attention on the deputy with his finger placed in front of his lips. "Quiet." He whispered in a strange accent. "I'm here to rescue you."

He nodded in acknowledgment. It was better to be silent than allow his captors to come for him and end his potential chance to flee.

Despite the man's sheer amount of gear and weapons, his footsteps were quiet as he made his way behind the prisoner's back. Once he cut the rope from his wrist, Beagle never felt so happy in his life. "I don't know who you are, but I appreciate what you are doing. Did you kill all of the powder gangers.?"

"No." The stranger replied. "I was able to knock most of them out. The others are in the mess hall and they don't seem keen on losing their sleep. Are you Deputy Beagle?"

"Yes, indeed I am. Who may I have the pleasure of knowing my rescuer?"

"My name is Artyom. I'm not from around here."

Beagle noticed the kitchen's front door slowly creak open as a powder ganger stepped into the room. "Alright, I'll go guard their deputy." The ganger walked into the room, but his attention was focused on the mess hall, on the other side of those doors. Once he closed those doors, he turned around and saw the duo standing before him. "What the-"

Artyom's reaction was quick when a blade flew into the powder ganger's throat. The criminal dropped to his knees as he tried to keep the blood from flowing. Yet, it was not enough as the young man walked towards him with his knife drawn. With a simple punch to the face, the man was knocked back with blood dripping on the floor. "Let's hurry before they notice the blood."

Whoever this man was, Beagle was fine that Artyom was on his side as his rescuer and not his enemy. Then they both began to creep through the side entrance as he saw the dozens of bodies lying on the ground. This man was able to do so much damage without alerting the powder gangers.

When they reached the front of the door, both men sprinted towards the Vikki and Vance Casino. One of the townspeople was near the doorway as he recognized Deputy Beagle running towards him. "Hey, the new guy got the deputy out. Tell Johnson!"

The camp was quiet as the Legion continued to train daily for a potential breakthrough. Although the NCR held a strong position on the other side of Hoover Dam, Caesar hoped that the small breakthroughs from Cottonwood Cove and Nelson. While Nelson was met with immediate resistance, his scouts had informed him that the NCR was committing resources and manpower trying to push them out.

To make the leader even content, the garrison at Forlorn Hope was ill-equipped to deal with the well-equipped Triarii.

In his seat, a man he trusted walked up to him and kneeled before him. "Rise Vulpes Inculta, what do you have to report from the south?" He asked.

The man wearing the wolf's skin as a hood rose from the ground and spoke. "My lord, the scouts from the strange phenomenon have returned and provided potential tribes to crush in your name."

Caesar raised an eyebrow. "Potential tribes?"

"Yes, they have made contact with these people through combat. Although they suffered severe casualties, these tribes are worthy to conquer and bring them into the fold my lord." Vulpes answered. "My scouts are attempting to adjust to the cold, but any attempt to reach the surface was met with hostile monsters and poisonous air."

"Interesting find. I will send a detachment to conquer these tribes; however, I will need you to focus on dismantling the NCR's hold around New Vegas. It is better to handle the prey we are hunting than wasting our time on one."

"I understand, my lord." Vulpes Inculta replied as he removed himself from Caesar's presence and walked out of his sight.

Then a man stepped into his court in his glorious armor. "My lord, you have called for me?"

"Yes, Legate Lanius," Caesar replied. "Were you able to eliminate the garrison north of Nelson?"

"No, the men sent to defeat the weaklings became cowards upon attacking the garrison."

"A failure on your part, I presume?" He implied.

Then the legate began to explain. "No. The survivors of the assault explain that there were dark mutated creatures that had attacked them during the assault. All they know is that they prevented them from assaulting the weak garrison that opposes us from the north."

"Mutant creatures? Did these men go into detail what they were doing there? Were they pets by the NCR sent to fight us?"

The masked leader shook his masked face. "Their excuse was that these creatures showed them visions of the past and their deeds in battle. I have made examples of them to ensure the Legion does not fail."

"Lanius, keep the garrison at Nelson on the defense. They will take the glory of dealing with the NCR while we prepare for the great battle to come." Caesar ordered. "For any offensive maneuvers, deploy your forces from Cottonwood Cove and harass the NCRs lines from there. They would have to pay the road's toll with their blood."

"Yes, my lord." The legate acknowledged.

Before the leader could leave, Caesar spoke a warning. "Do not fail me, again. Unless you wish to have the same fate of the previous Legate."

Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of a chapter. Currently handling my college stuff at the moment. Managed to get enough time to give you guys an update.

Later on, there is a chapter I also have prepared for you guys since I seemed to have forgotten about posting this one.