Artyom ran for his life. The people he shot at should have died. Dropping them was easy, but each time he left his guard down they rose from the ground and tried to kill him despite their wounds. Were they even human anymore? The stalker stormed into a nearby building, only to find a store with dozens of canned food still left on the shelves. He could bring that back to Pavel once he escapes the danger, but such a thought didn't concerned him at the moment.

The young man jumped over the counter and hid behind it while he waited for his pursuers to stop chasing after him. Footsteps followed where he once was while the heavy breathing of their gas masks did little to comfort him while he hid from their sight. His Bastard gun was ready if they do find him, but hopefully the wouldn't have the sense to look everywhere.

On his left, he could see a silhouette of one edging near the counter, looking around with a crowbar in hand, gasping for air. For something to appear so human, they acted more like animals on a hunt rather than people. They never spoke and when they did it was always in the form of screeches behind their gas masks.

His finger reached for the trigger as he waited for fate to decide what would happen next.

Discontent with what those creatures didn't find, they began to leave the store while the Russian began to peek out from behind the counter only to find their presence was gone. It was a relief as Artyom began to pick up boxes of cram from the store's supplies before he noticed armor pieces on the shelf beside the doorway. Out of curiosity, the Russian made his way to the shelf and began to inspect such armor.

What did he find?

Swiping the dust off, he noted the apparel woven into the armor plates before he turned the armor around. On the back, he noted the word imprinted in yellow.

'Security'

Whoever once wore this was probably dead and obtaining armor in the Metro was a rarity unless he joined the militia. Even then, it was issued for those who had the best combat experience. To find such armor laying around without any strings attached was an opportunity to be taken. It was strange for Artyom to change his clothes in the open like this, where he was truly vulnerable. To feel his body exposed to the wind before slipping into the clothes before feeling the armor plates weigh on his shoulders and chest. Had he tried that on the surface of the Dead City, the radiation and the chemicals would harm his body.

When Artyom was finished changing, he placed his pouches covered his front plate while his backpack covered the words written on his back. Then he attached his belt of shotgun shells from his shoulder to his side before grabbing his Bastard gun off the ground and walked out of the store.

Alone in a town covered in red, the stalker felt disturbed at the sight. What could possibly cause all of this to happen? There was an enticing thought to explore this dreary place, but he removed such plans when Cass and Angelique needed to be rescued. Perhaps he could possibly take a look after he found them.

Artyom began to tread carefully as he walked throughout the streets with far more caution than before. Unlike the mutants he came across on the surface, he had to be far more careful with his movements. He swiped the red residue off his gas mask while some particles still remained. With the lack of sunlight on the town, the stalker inspected his watch while holding his gun. "Damn." The young man quietly swore to himself. He forgot to adjust his watch to the current time, but his opportunity to change was no longer present. After all, there was no clock to reference.

Gunfire was discharged in the distance and despite the danger of running, he wanted to hope that his companions survived after all of this time.

Angelique fired off her pistol at one of the ghost people as they tried to breach into the store. She was able to take off one of their arms before closing the door on her attackers. "Cass, do you have my holorifle ready?"

The caravanner ran up to her with her weapon before they traded at the door. Then blades began to stab through the door along with the inhuman cries of their assailants. "What are those knives made of?" Cass wondered before loading her pistol ammo into the revolver.

"Stand back, they're breaking through." She said before the duo stepped away from the door and watched the only obstacle between them and the ghost people get torn apart.

When the door broke in two after the blades had runned it through, then the first one stepped forth with its menacing green eyes. However, its head was blown off by Angelique's shot before loading the next shot in. Then two more took the place of its fallen comrade, one carrying a knife and the other carrying a polearm with a knife attached at the tip.

The duo fired their weapons as they fell atop one-another in their advance to take their victims. Despite being gunned down, some of the fallen ones rose from the bodies and still continued.

Then Angelique heard the very words she feared from Cass. "I'm out!"

It would only be a matter of time before the ghost people overrun them by their sheer determination to kill them.

The courier looked past the heads of the ghost people to see a familiar grenade she once saw at the NCRCF. The dynamite-looking grenade landed at the feets of the inhuman beings before exploding with limbs torn apart. Such power shook the building as a knife landed beside Cass before she took it to defend herself. "Bring it on, shitbags."

A ghost person with a knife ran up to her with a bestial battle cry before Cass stepped aside and cut off the arm carrying the knife. Soon, the creature fell before the others ran out of the building with their attention taken elsewhere.

Noticing the change in their behavior, Angelique cocked her next shot at the ready before peeking out from the doorway to see a lone figure gunning down the ghost people without question. She couldn't recognize him behind the gas mask, but the woman was surprised to see the familiar sight of a gun that he was carrying.

Artyom was here.

When his sub-machine gun ran out, he simply tossed it to the side and presented his makeshift double-barrelled shotgun to the inhabitants of the villa. In one blast, he sweeped an entire area full of ghost people with their bodies torn apart. There were only two more that tried to rush him, but he simply drew his revolver and gunned them down without hesitation.

The courier smiled, knowing that a friendly face had arrived. "Cass, Artyom is here." The duo ran up to meet with their separated party member as they lowered their weapons. "Artyom, what a sight for sore eyes." She said while he grabbed the Bastard gun off the ground.

There was still danger lurking about as a ghost person rose from behind his back. Out of care for the person she cheated, Angelique drew her holorifle and fired a single shot at the creature's leg. With it's limb removed, the monster was gone.

He looked at her, his eyes surprised at this development. "It was getting up. You didn't tear its limbs apart."

The stalker shrugged his shoulders. "I'm glad to see that both of you are alive." Artyom replied. "Pavel and I were searching for you."

"Now that you mention him, where is he?"

"The Red is at the fountain, protecting the rest of our gear. Your stuff is there as well."

"That's good to know, I didn't want to tell you that we barely have any ammo left." The courier stated.

He glanced over to Cass and handed her his shotgun. "Here, you'll need it more than me." Afterwards, he presented a bottle of whiskey. "I didn't forget that either."

Then she smiled. "What a gentleman, bringing a woman her booze when she needs it."

Despite the hopeful arrival of the Russians, Angelique didn't want to address the snake wrapped around her neck. Yet, his question had arrived. "You two have collars on your necks." Artyom began. "What happened while I was gone?"

Such hopefulness died away when Angelique spoke first. "We got caught in a trap and we're forced to help someone get into the Sierra Madre."

She dreaded the moment Elijah spoke from her Pip-Boy. "Indeed. It appears that the quest of rescuing you from the Sierra Madre was a foolish endeavor."

Artyom's voice hissed at the voice on her Pip-Boy. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"Lower your tone, boy. I am Elijah and your friends are helping me break into the casino. Before you make any stance of resistance, know this, I am capable of killing your compatriots before your very eyes. Consider this as a restraint into compliance." The old man's voice expressed his arrogance. "Refuse to listen, try to act stupid, or think you can get the treasure of the Sierra Madre yourself I will detonate the collars."

Angelique noticed his tense reaction to him. "Why are you doing this?"

"I will not go into such detail, but the treasure has technology far more valuable than you could imagine in a lifetime. There are things here that are useful in cleaning the slate?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It is none of your concern." The old man replied. "What you should worry about is the fate of your friends. Comply and you'll be rewarded with the freedom of your friends."

Artyom shook his head at the hand he was dealt with. The courier couldn't blame him, he didn't know and neither did she. This Elijah, he would have to answer for what he was doing to them.

"Now, there should be some way to put on some collars to put you and your other friend into compliance as well."

He was suggesting that he take on the collar as well. No, she would not allow that. Artyom would have to serve a purpose that would be far more helpful than what Cass and herself could endure. "I have a better idea."

"A better idea than mine?" Elijah spoke in annoyance. "You dare interrupt?"

"Please, allow me to explain before you blow my collar off."

Then she heard his calm tone take over. "Very well, you have the opportunity."

Thankfully, the thought of using the stalker for this would alleviate the issues surrounding her collar. "You said that the collars can be triggered by radio devices throughout the Sierra Madre?"

"Correct."

"What if they can assist this heist of yours in case those radios prove too much of a difficulty for Cass and I to destroy." The courier said. "This way we don't lose our heads and you don't have to worry about that radio problem."

"Yes. I see." Elijah hummed to himself. "That is indeed a reasonable use of such people. I'll agree with that. However, they must comply and you will remind them. That is all. Continue finding the others."

When everything was finished, Artyom began to question. "Others? What did he mean by that?" He wondered.

"Elijah has other people wrapped in explosive collars." Cass began. "We're not the only ones here so that guy wants us to work with a few strangers to get into the casino."

"So we're looking for them as well?"

"Yeah, but those ghost people trapped us in the building and you were lucky enough to find us before we became brahmin steak."

"We should bring the news to Pavel." He replied. Then he raised a question that the courier never thought of answering. "Wait, there is only three of you. Where is that other girl?"

Angelique simply didn't know how to break the news for the Russian. "Artyom, Father Elijah knows Veronica. They're from an organization called the Brotherhood of Steel."

"The Brotherhood of Steel? I've heard of them." The Russian stated his ignorance. "Who are they?"

"They're an organization that specializing in keeping technology away from normal people like you and I. The last time the Mojave has heard of them, they were swamped by the NCR at Helios One. I didn't think there were any survivors."

"Do you both think they're working together to get inside of the Sierra Madre?"

Cass spoke up. "You heard the old shitbag." Referring to Father Elijah in a demeaning tone. "He said there was a treasure trove of technology and the Brotherhood flocks to that like Fiends on chems."

"Do you think this organization is truly here for such treasure?"

"Yeah, but they don't do subtle. They mostly do it with soldiers equipped with power armor. Which makes me wonder whether this guy has some with him?"

They shouldn't spend too much time talking in the open like this. "Artyom, show us the way back to Pavel. I have a feeling the ghost people who nearly killed me are waiting for Cass and I to back track."

"Da. I'll lead the way." Artyom acknowledge before turning away with his sub-machine gun at the ready.

While they were walking through the maze of streets and alleyways, Angelique noticed the clothes the stalker was wearing. It was completely different from the outfit he wore before, but she noted the armor plates that were covering him. She had forgotten to ask earlier, but the equipment he found made her wonder. "I hate to ask and I don't want to distract you, but where did you get that armor?"

"This? I found it in a nearby store. It had to be important enough for the former security to wear it so I took it."

"Damn, I wish I could have found something like that."

"Hopefully, we could find something like that as well."

Cass began to raise another concern. "Why are you wearing a gas mask? You know the air is not that dangerous as you think."

"I don't know." The Russian answered. "Call it a force of habit." Angelique noted he was trying to explain it them. "I just have this feeling the air around here is so toxic that I just feel the urge to keep my face away from it."

"Can't blame you. We both had to run through a cloud and I can't get that damn copper taste out of my mouth." The caravanner complained. "At least you have better air to breathe through."

"True, but I only have a supply meant for fifteen-thirty minutes and I have to use it sparingly. Less so for Pavel since his gas mask might break in these parts."

Then Cass ran to be on Artyom's side before glancing over to him. "Hey, it might be a bit selfish, but do you have some spare water. I tried drinking some from the fountain and it just doesn't agree with my stomach."

He reached for his canteen and handed it to her. "Share it with Angelique. She might be thirsty as well."

The redhead quickly uncapped the stalker's canteen and took a quick sip before handing it over to the courier. "What a damn relief to have fresh water? Say, do you have to worry about water where you're from?"

"Not really? Since it's still winter on the surface of the Metro, we let the snow melt and boil the water for drinking. The problem is trying to decontaminate snow plastered with radiation or poisonous chemicals."

The courier chuckled at the thought. Then her stomach rumbled at the lack of a meal. Ever since they had woken up in the villa, they never got a chance to get something to eat. Her eyes suddenly saw a machine she had seen earlier, but never had the opportunity to check out. "Hold up, let me see something."

When the group stopped, the young woman began to inspect the strange vending machine with her own eyes. Whatever this was, it didn't accept pre-war money, but a different currency. Yet, she didn't know what kind of currency she would be searching for.

To her surprise, she heard Father Elijah voice from her Pip-Boy. "That, my dear, are the Sierra Madre's vending machines. Isn't it a marvelous sight. So much potential these pinnacle machines contain."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cass commented.

"Let me explain it to your simple minds. These vending machines are capable of giving you anything you need and want as long as you have the Sierra Madre chips to spend them. As for those, they're scattered throughout the villa as you go." He finished explaining. "Try collecting as much as you can so you don't have to worry about the lack of supplies. There are codes for additional items, but you will have to find them on your own."

A curious Artyom caught Angelique's attention. "So I have a feeling we're going to be relying on these things to survive? That means all of the bottlecaps that we've collected have no value in this place."

"I think that is the point of this place. It was meant to be an exclusive resort for the wealthy and that meant an exclusiveness in their own currency."

"That sounds too much of a hassle, in my opinion."

"I agree, but we'll have to make do with what we've got."

Then Cass brought the conversation back to the vending machine. "Then that brings a question. Do we have any chips to spend on these things?"

That was such a disappointment for Angelique. She had every opportunity to collect the chips of the Sierra Madre stock up on a valuable currency around these parts. Yet, her ignorance prevented the use of such a machine sitting underneath the shade of the building. The pangs in her stomach did little to make her disappointment better as she lowered her head. "Damn it, I'm hungry."

Artyom was quick to ease her pain. "Let's go, we shouldn't be too far from the fountain. Pavel is waiting for us there, along with some food." He turned away from such an advanced machine as Cass followed after him.

Then the courier turned away and followed the stalker through another network of housing just to reach the center of the villa.

The Red Line Major was very disturbed with his surroundings. The only noise he could hear was the sound of gunshots and screaming in the distance. He closely tightened his grip on his silenced weapon before looking over his shoulder. The red water disturbed him and thoughts of drinking out of it did little to comfort him as it could possibly kill him. Although he had enough firepower with him, Pavel's loneliness made him wonder if that stalker died trying to find the women.

His eyes returned to the fountain just to ignore the boredom he had to endure after all of this time. Although this place had good air, Pavel missed being underneath the familiar sky of the Dead City. At least Moscow felt like a good place to be home.

Here, someone had screwed up with the ecosystem and had a fetish with the color red.

The colors of a good communist was red, but even this was too much for the major's liking. Hopefully, things will get better from here.

His eyes looked through the waters of the fountain, only to see golden chips in the water. Although his beliefs told him that everyone would be given an equal share in the Metro, perhaps he could have something to himself while everyone else followed the rules. It's not like Korbut would be looking over his shoulder at every turn.

Pavel's head perked up when he heard his name spoken nearby. "Pavel! Are you still alive?!"

What kind of question was Artyom making? That was a stupid. "Yes, I'm still here guarding your shit."

Out of the corner of his eye, three figures walked out from an alleyway as the communist recognized the familiar Russian gas mask on the stalker, but Pavel recognized the two women he was in the company before this place. The blonde in the blue jumpsuit sighed in relief. "Finally, a familiar face. It's good to see that our chances of survival increased."

"Alright, go check your stuff while I go check up with him." Artyom said before standing beside the Red with the fountain behind their backs. "How was your vigilant watch while I was away?"

He chuckled. "Allow me to be honest that as much as I am a staunch communist, it was scary. I'm no superstitious person, but I got to ask if someone met something along the way."

Cass was quick to reply. "We did, they're called ghost people. Apparently they used to be former construction workers and got trapped in their suits. Now they run around trying to kill you with everything they got."

"Ghost people? That sounds stupid."

"Come back to me when you one of those fuckers down before you see them come back up."

Then he glanced over to Artyom. "She's messing around, right?"

Artyom sighed from behind his gas mask. "I'm afraid she is right. Fought them myself and found out that they're very tough to kill."

"Shit, we should leave this place right now."

"Can't, we're stuck here."

"Really? How so? I don't see a problem."

"An old guy put bomb collars on Cass and Angelique's neck." The stalker explained. "They can't leave the place unless they want their heads to explode. Now you and I are both stuck helping these two out until that moment comes."

"What the fuck have I gotten myself into?" The Red Line major complained.

Angelique spoke. "Hello guys, but we can still hear you. Just because we have these bomb collars on doesn't mean we're deaf."

"So, what is the first thing we need to do to get out of this place?"

"Simple, find the others." Then she walked up to him and presented her Pip-Boy. "My map can track their collars as well. Let's begin by taking this route…"

Author's Note: Apologies for the long wait, but I was procrastinating for quite some time. Plus, I'm trying to get a refresher on the Dead Money DLC as well. I know guys like Oxhorn exist on the internet, but I tend to have a better understanding when I do things myself.

Sabere Commander: I'm crossposting this story on other sites and I feel that leaving stuff like the side stories and the NCR reports out would make this site feel left the abrupt changes in-between along with the criticism, I'm not changing it. As for the matter about the pacing of the story, it might seem short and somewhat too quick, but I'm also appealing to my viewers on SpaceBattles as they don't have the time to read through long chapters while they also have outside matters to handle.