When he opened his eyes, the young man found himself falling. As he descended further, he found the a small island of concrete ground in this strange, but familiar place. Artyom screamed as he braced for the impact when he was about to land. Yet, when his face crashed into the concrete, he was not met with any bruises and was not drawing any blood.

He pushed himself off the ground and found himself stuck in this strange place that he knew little of. Then his body felt something from a certain direction. Looking around, Artyom wondered where it was coming from and who was it that brought him here. His eyes found a small path presented before his very eyes, the only path from this strange realm he found himself in.

Taking his chances, he took the path and walked through. When he reached the other end, more pieces of concrete appeared and set themselves into place like a puzzle. What did he drink to deserve this?

Then his body felt a danger that something very familiar was also here. 'Artyom…'

That enough caused him to look around in fear as the stalker looked around once more, wishing to know who was here. "Who are you and where am I?"

'We come for peace… Do not be afraid… We are here to help…'

When Artyom turned around, he recognized the tall skinny creature clad in darkness. It's eyes staring into his soul walking forward and towards him. "You? Why did you attack my home, why Exhibition?" He demanded. "Why are you here?!"

The creature lowered its head as if it was ashamed. 'It was a misunderstanding.' It said. 'We didn't intend for a fight to happen.'

He gritted his teeth. "Didn't intend? How many people died trying to keep you from taking our station? Innocents died all because of you."

'You're not wrong.' The Dark One admitted. 'We tried to communicate to your kind, but you were afraid and tried to kill us. It was never our intention to continue the harm of your kind.' Then it looked up to him. 'We are not the monsters you think we are. Rather than continue what goes in your home, we gave you an option. A way out from that kingdom of darkness. This place.'

Artyom stood there, frozen at its revelation. "You sent me here, why? For what fucking reason do you have to send me here?" He was angry and he deserved to be. He was ripped away from his home against his will and dropped in this place. What right did these creatures have to send him away?

'The fate of the Metro is not a bright future. It will crumble underneath the blood of many, innocent or guilty.' The Dark One explained. 'There is very little hope in those tunnels - but here? You have a chance.'

"A chance for what?" He wondered.

'Redemption… for the sins of your kind…'

Artyom was taken away from his dreams as he felt the sands of the Mojave Wasteland bring him back to reality. His eyes flickered open and adjusted to the morning light. It must have been the so-called whiskey these people drink at the bar. Still, the hard liquor was a very powerful thing compared to the mushroom vodka he once had in Riga. Then he tried to raise himself off the ground, but noticed something wrong as he tried. The stalker was met with weight of another, who was resting on his chest with her hands tugging around his arms. "What happened?" Artyom wondered.

He heard a small groan coming from the stranger sleeping comfortably on him. "We had plenty of whiskey last night." The person answered. "Though you weren't able to hold your glass, you lightweight." It was a slight jab at him, but there was some truth to that. He was told that the mushroom vodka was the least alcoholic beverage in the Metro and it didn't surprise him that he failed to hold his own. After all, he wasn't like Bourbon. "Since the NCR doesn't offer pillows at this place, give me a few minutes. I haven't laid my head on anything soft for awhile."

She wanted to rest on his body because he felt like a pillow? Artyom didn't know whether to consider that an actual insult or simply her talking. He laid back down and rested his head in the dirt as the stranger quietly slept on his chest. Although it was a strange thing to happen to him, there was a sense in comfort about it.

Minutes passed while the stalker kept his eyes straight towards the great blue sky above him. It was weird, but he appreciated the sight of seeing the sky with his own eyes without his gas mask.

Sadly, Artyom's observation of the sky was short-lived when a woman, wearing a hat, and a pair of shades stood over him with her head aimed down on him. Unlike the NCR troopers, she was different from the rest of their lot. Instead, she was wearing a badge on the front of her hat with pride. "Look at that, how adorable." She commented. "While I would like to leave you two in your beauty sleep, you can't stay here long. Both of you get up."

The woman on his chest did as she was told while sitting up from beside the stalker. "Ghost, don't you have anything better to do? You know? Guarding the outpost?"

"Up yours, Cass." Ghost replied. "I'm not the one moping around at the bar. You better get going or we might kick you out."

"Don't worry, I'm going to leave soon." Cass stated. "Just give me a few moments to get my head straight."

When Artyom rose from the sand, the woman turned her full attention on him. "Alright kid, what the hell are you still doing here? Weren't you supposed to deliver that pardon to one of your pals?"

"Don't worry about this guy, it was my fault I got him to drinking."

Ghost silently stared at the young woman with a cold expression before turning her full attention on him. "Rumor has it that you were wondering about the other stalkers that were present. Do you have any reason why you're looking for them?"

Artyom nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, I heard there were two more stalkers nearby and I wanted to see if they were from the same place as me. You know, just to get a friendly conversation going."

"Last I saw them, they were heading east to a town called Nipton."

"Thanks for the directions."

"If you think I would just give you information for free, you're just wrong. Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think it is." Ghost began. "What I want you to do before you find those two, is to recon what his happening at Nipton. I'm seeing smoke coming from the town and as much as I would love to go there myself, Ranger Jackson is keeping me tied up here."

Cass snickered at her. "I'd hate to be you."

"Likewise, Cass, likewise." Then she turned around and walked away from the duo.

As Artyom patted the dust off his clothes, Cass gave out her hand to him. "That was one hell of a night we both had. I wonder if we could do it again some other time?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not much of a drinker."

"Why? Is it because it's bad in your religion?"

"No, it dulls the senses. I prefer not to be drunk when I'm shooting things." Artyom answered. "For all you know, I might shoot you just because I thought you were a mutant."

Cass laughed at him. "You know what I hate the most? People who can't hold their own drink. Since you seem to be leaving and I'm about to get kicked out, how about I join you? I get to help handle your liquor and you get someone to watch your back."

He began to scratch the back of his head. "I don't know…"

"Let's look at it this way, you get to sleep comfortably for the night without having to worry about some raider or fiend slit your throat."

Now that was pragmatic and practical thinking. He never thought about the benefits of having a partner around, but then again he didn't know better. After all, the young man lived in tunnels. "Alright then, we should introduce each other if you want to be in my company." He gave out his hand to the cowgirl, who immediately grabbed his hand. "My name is Artyom."

"I'm Rose of Sharon Cassidy, but I prefer you call me Cass." The girl replied. "You haven't earned that right to use the rest of my name." Her name was long, no doubt about it. Yet, why did she want to say that. "When do we leave?"

"Soon, I'm going to make a quick stop to Primm before we help out Ghost with whatever she needs. Let's go." He said before he walked past Cass and made his way towards the fenced gate.

It had been a day since Bourbon delivered evidence from Exhibition to the Spartan Order about the attacks from the Northern Frontier. Once kept in waiting, the drunkard sat in an office in the company of two Polis Guards. It irked the stalker that the guards were silent throughout the time spent waiting here. Everything changed when the door was swung open. The silence of the soldiers was broken when they saluted their superior.

When he passed the men, he was quick to dismiss it. "At ease, Rangers." The commander said before walking pass Bourbon and taking his seat across from them. Unlike the freshly shaven guards, this man wore a full beard and a uniform far different from the others. "Ah, you must be the messenger from Exhibition. Did more trouble bring you here?"

Bourbon shook his head. "Nope, a true threat to the Metro."

"Didn't we send a Ranger over there to take care of your Dark One problem?"

"He didn't never returned from the northern tunnels." He added. "You were supposed to get a message from him, but I persuaded the boy from not getting himself killed trying to get here."

"You know you shouldn't interfere with the Order's matters." The veteran Ranger stated. "It's a criminal offense."

"I know, Colonel Miller, but it wasn't worth Sukhoi's stepson. The station is living by a thread and he's the clip holding it together."

Miller's glaring blue eyes calmed down. "Okay, I understand his position. I have a child as well. So, the boys from the armory inspected the weapons you brought from Exhibition. Says the station was under attack, by whom?"

"I don't know." Bourbon answered. "All I know is that they're a bit barbaric considering they also use throwing spears."

"Then why come here if you can handle them?"

"Exhibition needs your help. Mutant attacks have made its defenders weary and manpower is a shortage. They're getting help from Riga, but it still is not enough."

The colonel nodded his head. "You've convinced me to see everything myself."

"How so?"

"Before I came here, one of the weapons you brought is not from the Metro. It doesn't use the same caliber as some of our guns nor is the weapon from Russia."

Bourbon raised his eyebrows. "Not from Russia? How do you know?" He wondered.

"It's the serial number." Colonel Miller stated. "Plus, it's design isn't made in the Metro."

"Well, when are we going back to Exhibition?"

"Soon. I'm going to have to present this to the Council and solidify about the threat in the Northern Frontier. What else do you have for me?"

"The attackers, they almost resemble something like Romans." He answered. "I know, it's weird, but it's true."

"Duly noted. I'll be going now, but find a Ranger named Uhlman. He'll be gathering my men together."

Bourbon nodded, acknowledging the Polis Colonel's orders. As they both rose from their seats and exited the office, the stalker found the bright lights of the underground city.

Two stalker partners arrived at the town known as Nipton. It didn't seem like there many people in the town, but from the way it was handled there was nothing wrong with the town. One of the men took a cigarette from his pockets and lit the end with his flamethrower. "You know, Simon. I'm starting to like this place. Do you think they'll give a job to do around here?" He wondered before lowering his flamethrower and turning off the lighter.

His friend, a man carrying a single-shot shotgun shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just don't like it that we're not in the Metro anymore. Hell, the people here don't use bullets as a currency."

"I don't know about you, but it's one hell of a way to start anew. Our business is about salvaging shit, so how about we get paid for our services."

"Petrovich, I think there is something wrong with you. You're not known for being an optimist." Simon commented on his flamethrower companion.

"Don't be all sad, it's not like we don't have to worry about paying the Hanza tax every time we get a good haul."

When the duo reached the T crossing in the road, they were both disturbed by the silence in the town as they turned their heads towards their left. Then Petrovich pointed his finger at the road ahead of him before his lips dropped his cigarette. "What the fuck are they doing?"

Simon's eyes widened when he saw people nailed to crosses while others were burned at the stake. There were a group of men, who almost resembled Romans, while two unarmed men in blue uniforms stood within their presence. One of the men brought a hammer and smashed his knee while another talked to the other.

One of the captives departed from the scene as the other was writhing in pain before the presence of the Roman-like people. As the stalkers were busy on looking at the man crying out for help, they didn't notice that they were walking towards them.

Petrovich tapped him by the shoulder. "I don't know where we ended up in, but I think we should leave."

One of the Roman-like people stepped forward and spoke out to them. "Do not leave." He began in a eccentric voice. "In fact, your untimely arrival is perfect for us."

"What the hell are you going to do? Beat us to death?" Simon questioned as he was easily disgusted by the way they handled the people of this town.

"We could, but who would be left to send our message." The man replied. "This town has committed deeds of evil and we are here to teach them a lesson about their foolish debauchery. They waste themselves in squalor without purpose… until we arrived - Caesar's Legion." What right did this man have to punish an entire town because of their deeds? He wasn't a god. "My name is Vulpes Inculta and I want you to head west and tell the NCR this, we are coming."

Simon gritted his teeth as he gripped his hands. "What you did is evil, pure evil. You burned the innocent alive."

"Innocent?" Vulpes question. "These were wicked people and there was nothing innocent about them. You may attack us, but both of you will be more examples of why Caesar's Legion is the mightiest of them all." The man turned around as ignored them. "Come now, we must speak to Caesar of our success."

The stalker was about to reach for his Ashot, but his friend whispered to him. "Simon, are you sure we should be fucking with this guy?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "Petrovich, these people killed an entire town for no reason. I will not let him get away with this."

Petrovitch nodded and accepted his companion's willingness. "Okay then, if you're going to get yourself killed like this, mind as well join you." Then he turned on his flamethrower. "Are you ready?"

Simon reached for his Ashot. "Definitely. Head first, I'll cover you. Time we teach them their own medicine."

The stalker with the flamethrower stepped forward as his raised his flamethrower in the direction of the Legion. Some of the men noticed their intention of attack, but it was too late when they were met with fire and shotgun pellets. The fire reached out to the men of the Legion, who tried to flee, but were caught in the flames of Petrovich's doing. His companion with the shotgun saw one of the Legionnaires raise his throwing spear, but he immediately blasted him back with a single shell.

"Alright friend, I'll hold my position and you hit the fuckers on the right flank."

"Yeah, got it." Petrovich answered as he held off his flames and disappeared behind the lines of building.

While the fires still burned, Simon saw an automatic weapon on the ground in the hands of a charred man. It almost resembled an American's rifle long before the bombs, what a convenient complement to his shotgun. The man sprinted forth and looted the weapon off the dead body along with several mags in case he needed to reload. Gunfire flew in his direction as he shifted to a building on his left. "Shit!"

More gunfire erupted as the bullets peppered the brick near the edge. They were suppressing him.

Then he heard more spews of fire along with the screams of many more of these Legion bastards. Yet, Petrovich's deed halted the gunfire for a moment. Looking around the corner of the building, Simon saw two men shift their fire while they backed away from their burning comrades. One held a shotgun and the other was carrying a bolt-action rifle. At the same time, they were perfect targets.

He raised his weapon and lined up his shots, only to see their terrified faces at the sight of the dead. Two men were killing their entire group. Guess they didn't expect to find someone to avenge these people. Two bursts were all that were needed to keep the fuckers in their place.

When the fighting was over, Simon stepped out from his cover and began to make his way towards his recent kill, while salvaging any equipment that wasn't burnt by the flamethrower. Out from the right side of the road, Petrovich joined him as he steadied his weapon. "You know, you're a crazy bastard. I thought we might die."

After finding his new shotgun and obtaining the ammunition for it, Simon gritted his teeth.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

The stalker shook his head in disappointment. "The guy who bragged about this shit? He's not here. He ran off in the middle of the fighting. Fucking coward!"

"Don't worry, my friend. He'll have to answer for this." Replied Petrovich. "Everyone does."