At the arrival of the town, it still remained quiet and unoccupied as Artyom and Cass found themselves at the center of the road. The few times the duo have spoken to one-another was the threat of the giant ants, the radscorpions, and the geckos. Unlike the first time he had met Cass, she didn't seem to express her enthusiasm like she had at the Mojave Outpost. Then he noticed her pull out a bottle of whiskey and pulled the cork out. "Why are you drinking right now?"

The cowgirl shrugged her shoulders and drank down her alcoholic beverage. "I don't know about you, but I have my own reasons." Cass answered. "That being said, what do you plan to do once you find those other stalkers? Are you going to go on some kind of prospector expedition?"

Artyom shook his head at the thought. "No, nothing like that. More like I just wanted to talk with them about stuff about the Metro and exchange whatever news we have. It's not much, but every piece of information counts."

"You and those other stalkers keep talking about this 'Metro'. Where is this place?" She wondered. "Quite hard to get a clear idea on what it is."

"The Metro? It's really easy. The Metro is an underground system of tunnels that were designed for trains." He answered. "It also serves a purpose as a nuclear shelter in case Moscow is targeted for nuclear annihilation."

Cass raised an eyebrow. "So you're some kind of vault dweller? Do you live in a hole in the ground and don't have to worry about everything on the surface?"

Artyom shook his head. "No, it wasn't that easy. We were all still prone to the dangers of radiation and the mutants. There have been stories where entire stations are surviving by a thread after being attacked by packs of mutants while others break into gangs or bandits and lurk in certain tunnels. That's not counting the war between the factions."

"Wait, you guys have your own little war going in your Metro? What reason do you guys have to become like the NCR or the Legion? That doesn't make any sense."

"I could say the same about it, but some people fight one-another for different reasons. There is The Red Line and then there is the Fourth Reich, I haven't met them either group, but they're worse than the NCR and the Legion."

The cowgirl crossed her arms and confronted him. "These guys can't be that bad. Does the Metro pass Legion's punishment by nailing people on a cross or burning them at the stake?"

"No, but I've heard that the Nazis use prisoners and slaves for target practice." Artyom answered. "I've even heard stories about the Nazis gassing entire people because of a few mutations."

"Okay, maybe a little. Ever wonder why they do it?"

He nodded his head. "Some tunnels haven't been maintained, which resulted in their collapse, but it also brings radiation from the surface and some people have been unlucky enough to get mutations because of them."

"In other words, the Metro is very different from a Vault."

"Yes."

"Thanks for explaining your home to me." Cass replied. "Helps me learn about who I'm traveling with. Have you traveled in the Metro on foot?"

"Most of the time." He answered. "Some tunnels have caved in or blocked by some old trains. So yeah, I have traveled on foot."

"Good, I don't want to be in a company of some city boy who doesn't know how to handle himself."

A voice spoke out from behind the stalker's back. "Hey, did you get my pardon yet?"

Artyom turned around, only to find Meyers leaning his back on a pillar with a toothpick between his lips. "Meyers, I was just looking for you."

The ex-sheriff took a quick glance at the young man before he chuckled. "So that's what kept you away for awhile, I thought you left me to hang. Though, I couldn't blame you if you saw a desert rose like that."

"Just who the hell are you?" Cass demanded.

"Ma'am, you can call me Meyers." He answered. "I'm an ex-sheriff from the NCR Correctional Facility." Then he returned his full attention on the young man. "Alright kid, do you have my pardon? I was hoping you were here on my behalf."

"Here." Artyom complied as he reached into his pockets and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "Major Knight didn't agree that you should be out of prison, but I've convinced him."

Meyers smiled as he reached for his paper. "That will do. I'll start talking to the folk here and give them the good news. It will be a lot better than living under martial law."

Before the sheriff could leave, a reminder of the NCR CF gang came up. "Meyers, do you have any news on what the NCR is going to do to the correctional facility?"

"Yeah, Mr. Nash talked with me about it. The NCR are going to retake the facility in force with two-three platoons from Golf. Don't tell them I knew about it, those military fellows don't like it when information is leaked."

"Thanks."

"No problem.." Meyers stated before he made his way into the 'Vikki and Vance' casino.

"What do you know? I found myself in the company of a helper." Cass commented. "What are we going to do?"

Artyom looked over his shoulder. "I'm going to talk to the NCR."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't bore yourselves with those guys, it shouldn't be our problem."

"Well, we could always help them handle their problem."

"Wait a minute, you're going to help the NCR retake the correctional facility? Why do that?"

"A guy from the Powder Gangers doesn't have a leg because of me." The stalker answered. "If I'm going to travel from here to Goodsprings, I would prefer that the roads are safe to walk on. It is better if we take care of them before they start going after me."

"If we're going to fight them, I think we should learn about what we're good at we want to help out the NCR."

As the duo were walking across the bridge, Artyom was first to speak up. "If you want to know, I have an SMG, a double-barreled shotgun, a revolver, a couple of grenades, and some throwing knives." He listed. "That's not counting the military grade ammo I also have with me."

"Military grade ammo?" Cass asked. "What the hell is that?"

"Back in the Metro, it's pretty much currency there. It's not recommended, but I do have the option to use them if I run out of dirty bullets."

"Then the Metro must be really bad if you're using bullets as money." Then she changed the subject with her own inventory. "Aside from the caravan shotgun I have, there are a couple sticks of dynamite I do carry around just so we can kill plenty of stuff together. I don't have any other guns with me so we'll have to make do with what we got."

"We could always loot off the dead if we're desperate." Artyom suggested. He had done it plenty of times in the Metro, whether it be a bandit's corpse or a skeleton that had some ammo set aside.

"If we're really desperate, then yeah. I can handle that. You'll just have to cover me when I do."

"More like the opposite."

Cass raised her eyebrows. "Pardon me, but you have more guns."

"True." He admitted. She wasn't wrong about that. "But I'm also quick and getting the ammo and the guns off the dead."

"If you say so."

Then they arrived at the command tents based around a single campfire. "We can adjust our tactics after I talk with Lieutenant Hayes." The young Russian replied. "Stay here, I'll talk with him."

As the stalker made his way into the tent, he found the NCR officer placing his hands on the map and pointing at the facility. "-the facility will be breached from these two entrances so the Powder Gangers don't consolidate into a single force. Clear the buildings one-by-one and give them no quarter." When the lieutenant looked up from his map and saw Artyom in the doorway, he folded his map. "What the hell? You shouldn't be in here." Then he looked to the NCR trooper beside him. "Didn't I send someone to guard the camp?"

"Lieutenant Hayes, I heard about your plan for the correctional facility."

The lieutenant reached for his holster and pulled out a pistol. "You shouldn't know that. It's classified information."

"I know." He replied. "I wanted to tell you… I want in on it."

"You want to help us?" Hayes questioned. "Why?"

"If the Powder Gangers continue to remain unchallenged then I'm going to be on their hitlist for killing one of their men." Artyom answered. "If I help you then you have a couple of hands to help you retake the place."

The officer looked past the stalker as Artyom saw him having eye contact with Cass. "I see. If you're going to help us, I recommend that you meet up with Sergeant Lee and fill you in on the rest."

Before he could depart, he gave a small nod to the head and walked out of the tent with satisfaction. It had turned out better than Artyom had anticipated. Now he was going to get rid of the Powder Gangers for good. Yet, it also consoled the young man that he was doing something to help people and wondered about his home station in the Metro. Could he do the same to help Exhibition as well?

When Cass noticed his exit out of the tent, she was quick to accompany him. "What did they say? Are we in or not?"

Artyom smiled. "Lieutenant Hayes wants both of us to meet with his men. We're in."

"Good, now we can hunt some shitheads."

After a long walk from Primm within the night, Artyom heard a small clinking and a pull from his neck. He reached down into his shirt and pulled out a dog tag, only to see the last reminder of an old friend - Hunter. "What's that?" He heard Cass comment. "It looks special."

Once he pulled the chain off his neck, he smiled at the sight. "It belonged to a… friend."

"Must be one hell of a pal if you're wearing it. Who was he?"

"His name was Hunter." Artyom answered. "He was sort of like an uncle to me and was a Polis Ranger - the best of the Order."

"He sounds like a swell guy, do you think I might meet him?" Artyom stopped in his tracks as Cass walked ahead. Once she realize she was leaving him behind, the cowgirl was quick to come back to him. "Artyom are you alright? Did I say something wrong?"

He lowered his head and sighed. "It's nothing."

Cass walked up to him and crossed her arms. "Bullshit." She said. "Look, I'm sorry if I did something to upset you."

"Apologies for acting like that." Artyom answered. "It's just that the last time I saw Hunter, he handed his dog tags to me just so he can save my station... he never came back." Then he raised his head and slipped the tags back across his neck. "My memory of that moment is very recent."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Then she presented a pendent from her neck. "My dad left me at a very young age and never came back. This is all I have left of him. So that makes two of us. C'mon, let's go meet with up with that NCR force before we start talking about ourselves, okay?"

He nodded his head. "I am sorry about that."

"No worries, we'll keep this between us."

The two continued to walk forward until they found a group of NCR troopers standing around a single man. Once they noticed them, they broke away and began to make their way towards him. Unlike the other troopers, this one had a rank on his helmet. "You must be the guys Lieutenant Hayes sent." He began. "Are you two ready to break into the correctional facility?"

"Definitely." Cass commented.

"Yes sir." Answered Artyom.

"Good." Sergeant Lee replied. "We've gotten close enough to set up some explosives along the fence and once they go off, we go in and kill them all. Not a single Powder Ganger should be allowed to escape, understand?"

Cass and Artyom nodded their heads. "We understand." They said.

"Now get into position, the fight is about to start."

The NCR troopers, the cowgirl, and the stalker took their positions upon a hill overlooking the prison's positions while Sergeant Lee waited for the signal to go. As time began to pass by, Artyom felt dread just waiting for the time to strike. He watched from the hill, only to see members of the Powder Gang stumble around in the courtyard. The last time he fought such criminals was when he was with Bourbon, but there were fewer men and were easier to take down in close-quarters. This was different. Instead, he was up against an entire facility filled with killers.

To his surprise, he felt a tap on his shoulder thanks to a whiskey bottle held by cass. The cork was open and when the young man took a glance at his companion, he found her wiping away the traces from her lips. "Drink it." She stated. "It'll help, trust me." It appeared that Cass had a done something like this before and it honestly surprised him that she would hand her a bottle of whiskey.

Rather than showing ill manners, Artyom grabbed the bottle and sipped enough not to get himself drunk. After all, the vodka in the Metro was something to handle.

"You were shaking. I had to find a way to help you calm down."

With a bottle of whiskey? Who in their right mind would do that - nope, Bourbon did that before. Nevermind about Cass being the only one crazy.

Artyom glanced at his watch, only to see the time go by a few minutes, but impatience was not something to ignore when he heard Cass speak up. "Sergeant, how long are we going to wait?"

The NCR trooper was quick to reply. "In a couple of minutes." He added. "We've set the explosives for ten minutes."

"Ten minutes, you could have told us about that."

"Don't worry, they should explode soon."

Suddenly, gunfire from the left side caught their attention. The Powder Gangers were firing their guns outside of the perimeter from their towers. In return, green projectiles flew towards the guards. One of the men received a hit, only to transform into a green pile of ash. Now that was terrifying.

"Shit!" The sergeant swore. "I don't know who's shooting."

Curious to know who was responsible for stirring the guards, Artyom felt the need to ask. "Do you think it's one your men?" He wondered.

"Can't be, our boys don't use energy weapons." Lee explained. "The only people who usually use those weapons are scavengers or the Brotherhood of Steel, but why would the Brotherhood be here if there isn't any tech around unless…"

"What?"

"The Powder Gangers must have some tech with them, somehow."

A cry from the criminals was enough to confirm the suspicion of the attacker. "Kill that bitch!" Soon the facility was alive when the alarms were blaring and the Powder Gangers were running into the open. Whoever had attacked the facility was immediately bringing the Powder Gangers out on purpose.

Then the fences exploded. "That's the signal, everyone advance." Sergeant Lee ordered as the NCR troopers began to make their way through the opening. As Cass followed after them, Artyom was about to do the same, but his curiosity got the better of him.

Off to the left, he saw a lone tall figure carrying a gun with a green-like color storm into the transition building with her weapon blasting away at the defenders coming out to meet her. Yet, they fell or diminished into nothing more, but ash. She glanced her head over to him as if she saw him, but her attention was taken away when she continued into the building.

Before he could follow after the stranger, Cass called out to him. "Artyom, what's keeping you back? Let's get in there."

Reminded of what was going on, the stalker pulled out his Bastard gun and followed after the NCR troopers walking into the courtyard.

On the other side of the facility, he saw another explosion occur as more soldiers walked in and opened fire on the criminals in the open. At first, they caught the attention of the Powder Gangers in the courtyard, but gunfire from this end made them realize they were in the crossfire. Sergeant Lee and his men were quick to turn the tables on their side and take cover behind them, but were unaware of the doors opening up to the building on the group's right.

Seven men stepped out of the building with their guns drawn before Cass blasted her shotgun at the first two Powder Gangers. As their comrades fell, Artyom was quick to help secure the flank with bursts of 5.45s. The last man watched his fellows drop, causing him to flee back into the building. Yet, it was no match for Cass as she pulled out a stick of dynamite and tossed the stick into the building. That part of the building exploded into rubble as the inside of the building was revealed to the world.

When Artyom joined the rest of the team, he saw the large group of Powder Gangers flee for the last bastion of safety as the NCR military moved in to eliminate them. Yet, his only concern was the transitional building on the left. As the two NCR teams began to merge into one, a pair of gangers sprinted out of the door from the transitional building and tried to head for the last building. However, a blonde woman in a blue jumpsuit had stepped out and fired an automatic weapon at the fleeing criminals. They didn't survive.

Sergeant Lee spouted orders and pointed at the door. "Prepare to breach the door!" As the troopers made their way towards the last bastion of the criminals, he made his way towards the lone stranger. "Okay, who the fuck are you?" He demanded from her.

"So she was the one responsible for that." Cass commented. "Not everyday do you see someone like her ruin the NCR's day in military operations."

The blonde expressed a smile towards the sergeant. "No need to get all hostile on me." She stated. "Turns out these pricks were harassing the good people of Goodsprings and I thought it was about time I gave them a kick in the head."

Despite the stranger's response, Sergeant Lee displayed his irritation. "You alerted the Powder Gangers, you should be lucky that I'm not going to kill you."

"Don't worry, I'll help you take care of them."

The two departed without any words as the group made their way towards the doors. "Get ready for the worst of it all, they probably have their guns trained on this door. It will be bloody and some of us might die - what the fuck is that?"

Everyone glared at Artyom as he pulled out his bullet lighter and his room-clearing weapon. "This?" He pointed at a weapon from his inventory. "This is a grenade."

"That doesn't look like a grenade." Stated Cass. "Are you sure it is?"

The stranger scoffed at everyone's skepticism. "Okay, what the hell is wrong with you guys? Didn't you all forget your grenades except this guy?" No comment. "Now this is embarrassing."

Sergeant Lee was quick to speak. "We weren't supplied like everyone else in the Mojave, unless you're McCarren."

"Still, it's sad that none of you don't have grenades." She glanced over to the stalker. "So? How many do you have?"

Technically, Artyom had twenty-one grenades… that is if he counted his incendiaries and the sticky grenades. If he counted his actual grenades, it would have to be- "Seven." He answered.

"That should be enough. Alright, make room for the kid."

As the stalker made his way to the front and towards the door, he peeked through the small hinges off the door and saw dozens of Powder Gangers scramble forth to a small area behind bars. They were ready for him, but they appeared to recognize him as he slightly opened the door. Automatic fire flew at him as he lit the wires off his grenades and threw them into the building.

A cry came out from the inside. "Everyone get back-" The cry was silenced by the explosion as shrapnel flew all over the place. Artyom was quick to close the door while he heard the shards picking at the door and scratching the concrete walls without hesitation.

When the flying shrapnel was finished, Artyom peeked through the doorway and saw bodies of Powder Gangers lay upon one-another. The damage had only caused a few to limp away from door while others were crawling on the ground, moaning.

"Is it clear?" Sergeant Lee asked.

The stalker glanced towards the soldier and gave him a short curt nod. "It's done."

The door flew open as the soldiers stormed the building with their rifles while Artyom, Cass, and the stranger were the last to walk in. Sounds of shots echoed throughout the building, but as they explored their corners no one was spared. Artyom found himself witnessing criminals crying for mercy, only to be ignored by a barrel pressed on their heads. Those who tried to resist were quickly dispatched before the NCR moved up to the second floor. "Go, go, go!" Sergeant Lee shouted as his men scrambled to the top.

A tap on his shoulder caught Artyom's attention, only to meet with the stranger's eyes. "Hey, do you know a guy named Doc Mitchell?" She asked.

Of course, it was the man who rescued him from the bullet. "Yes, he saved my life."

"Good to meet you, I'm Angelique Duval. I was the gal who was also shot in the head." She began. Before she could speak, more gunfire erupted on the second floor as battle cries echoed between the NCR and the Powder Gangers. "We should probably help them out first then talk about how we both had a bullet to the head."

"Gee, you haven't figured." Cass commented before she walked up the staircase with her shotgun in hand.

"What's your problem?"

The cowgirl didn't answer as Artyom began to follow after his companion up the stairs. "Sheesh, someone doesn't like me already."

When Artyom and Cass arrived at the second floor, a soldier's body lay there on the floor with blood seeping out. The first casualty of the firefight. They looked around, passing through the soldiers and finding more bodies full of Powder Gangers, who attempted to make a last stand. This place was no longer their stronghold anymore and it would be a matter of time before this place would be running back under the NCR's law.

Sergeant Lee inspected the bodies of the few fallen individuals and walked to the stalker with his weapon in hand. "You know, if it wasn't for you, I would have doubted we would have lasted a few minutes without losing more men than I expected." He handed his hand out to the young man. "You have my thanks."

Artyom shook his hand before glancing back at the body of fallen trooper.

"Poor guy, he just got here a week ago. The NCR will be shipping his body back to his family where they can bury him."

"I'm sorry that I wasn't up here with you guys." He answered. "I could have prevented his death."

Lee shook his head. "You can't save everyone, it's something I've learned at the Battle of Hoover Dam. You'll just have to cope with death." Then he nodded his head. "Without you, the other guys would be dead thanks to you and your grenades."

"Will you be getting any of your supplies soon?"

"Us?" He wondered. "I highly doubt it. My platoon is low priority to the people in McCarren, Hoover Dam, and Forlorn Hope. Those people need it more than some backwater unit patrolling the wasteland."

Cass began to pick up one of the weapons off the ground as she scavenged the dead from their ammunition.

"Seeing that you scavs helped us out, I think you deserve to have at the place before the NCR retakes this place."

"What do you know?" His companion spoke. "We get to pick the prison apart. Let's hurry before the other scavengers notice it." Cass was quick to go in the spoils of war while the rest of the NCR troopers departed downstairs except for one of the men.

The trooper carried his body as he noticed Artyom looking at his weapon. "You can have his gun, my friend won't be needing it anymore." He said before he walked down the staircase and went out of sight.

It was clear that the man was sad, but was pragmatic enough to allow a stalker the right to claim such a weapon. Rather than letting such a weapon be wasted at the lack of use, Artyom stepped forward and claimed this weapon as his own. When he pulled the weapon off the ground, he saw his Pip-Boy's spring to life with another weapon added under the designation 'Service Rifle'. It used the 5.56mm caliber, but there were few bullets in the magazine to be useful. Perhaps it could act as his marksman rifle later on?

Then he found Angelique walk up the staircase with dozens of guns in her backpack. "I see you and your friend are cleaning this place dry. Guess we all have something in common."

"Are you here to talk with me about what happened to us?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, I wanted to know why the guy decided to shoot you?"

"I was at the wrong place at the wrong time." He admitted. "Moments ago, I was in Moscow and then I'm in America. It's a simple explanation."

Angelique raised her eyebrows. "You're from Russia, I find that hard to believe. Are you on chems?"

"No, not at all."

"I don't believe you."

"Ask the doctor. He can vouch for me."

"It doesn't make any logical sense."

"Where I'm from, logic and sense don't usually go in the same order."

The conversation was interrupted by Cass as she walked out from one of the rooms. "Artyom is in fact from Russia. I know this, because back at the Mojave Outpost I met a couple of guys like him. They have accents just like him."

The woman still remained skeptical. "Still don't see how you managed to get into the Mojave. Doesn't matter, I wanted to know why my killer decided to shoot you as well."

"Like I said, wrong place at the wrong time. The guy didn't look like he wanted witnesses either." Artyom suggested. "I can't wait to kill the guy once I get the opportunity."

"You and me both. The guy ambushed me and takes my package in the middle of the night, I think he deserves a bullet. What about you?"

"Me? He stole my AK, I'm going to get it back from his cold dead hands."

Cass joined the duo and looked at him with wonder. "Wait a minute, you're going after the guy who tried to kill both of you?"

"Yep." Angelique answered. "Weren't you listening?"

"Not really, just taking the opportunity to see if the gangers drank whiskey." Then she walked beside Artyom. "Hold these bottles, I wanted to see if you can carry them."

"Cass, what are you-" Artyom never got the chance to finish when the cowgirl gave him a dozen bottles of whiskey and a number of guns to carry. "Cass?"

"I'm trying to see if we can carry the whiskey and the guns. Would be a waste to leave some of them behind." She explained. "Can you see your Pip-Boy?"

The stalker glanced down at the device on his hands, only to see the guns add on to his list of weapons, but he also saw the weight and the maximum weight limit in pounds. It wasn't as bad as he thought when the numbers were added together. "Yes and it seems like I won't be having problems carrying them."

"Good, I can drink happy tonight."

"You know, I can help you lose all that weight in one way." Angelique suggested.

"Really?" Cass wondered. "How so?"

"I can teach both of you how to repair your guns and save you the trouble of carrying double. It's how I made caps in the wasteland and it might be useful to both of you."

How to repair guns in the post-apocalypse? That could be useful. Yet, it also made him wonder. Did these people have trouble maintaining their weapons."

"How about tonight? I'm not in the mood of sleeping outside."

Sleep here? Now? "Cass, why shouldn't we leave this place?"

"Nightstalkers. They hunt at night and I don't want to take that risk since they're that dangerous." The cowgirl explained. "Now get a quick lesson from our - what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a courier." Angelique replied.

"Get a quick lesson from our courier so we can sleep with some easy caps on us." Then she pulled a bottle out from Artyom's arms. "Whiskey?"

"Guns, whiskey, and company? Having fun where we killed people? What could go wrong?"

Sherif Meyers walked out of the town as he had coffee with some of the troopers, giving them a warm smile and in return, theirs. Despite this nice gesture, he noticed the camp stirring with talk.

Then he overheard one of the men at a table on the right. "Hey, did you hear what happened at the NCR CF?"

"Yeah, didn't the Powder Gangers get wiped out by Sergeant Lee's squad?"

"Not that story, the other story?"

"No." The trooper answered. "Never heard of it."

"Well, Lee's squad came back to see if anymore Powder Gangers came back, but it turns out he stumbled upon three scavengers enjoying themselves. Guy got lucky with two gals."

There were many stories the sheriff had heard in the NCR CF, but this topped it off.

Author's Note: Originally, I wanted the Courier to be a cripple, but after reading another fic I had some ideas about her. Also, it has been a long time since I've made this many words in a chapter.