The defenses were put in place, entire streets were blocked off by barricades of all sorts of things the locals could find - broken walls, destroyed cars, metal sheets, etc. Marksmen took up positions on rooftops of the once-abandoned buildings that were now turned into fortresses or death traps. Open areas were perfect fields of fire for heavy machine gun nests. The stage was set and all that mattered was that the soldiers, militias, and gunslingers reinforce those defenses. Despite the Omertas betrayal in the Strip, it wasn't enough to disrupt the efforts of those who were bringing everything to the line.

Artyom walked into the Old Mormon Fort to find the Followers and the medical professionals of the Metro gather their equipment. They were going to move to the more secure places of the city and the fort was going to become a strong point in case the Legion breached the first lines of defense. He was able to recognize the face of Arcade Gannon among the numerous white coats of doctors; however, he was not here for him. The factions of the Metro and the local leaders were meeting in this very place with Colonel Miller being the one to organize the defense.

When he arrived, he noticed everyone huddling around a single table - even Major Morozov and Tomilin was present in this meeting. "You're lucky that I didn't start earlier." Then he glanced at the others before placing his finger on a single map. "Hansa and the Nazis are going to protect Camp McCarren now that the NCR is no longer there. The Reds are going to take up positions on the eastern section of the city. Do any of you have a problem with that?"

The officers of the Metro shook their heads.

"Good. Independent soldiers are going to take up positions on the barricades or turn this place into a fortress. In case the enemy does breach the walls, you guys should start running back to the second line of defense." Then Miller stole a look from the locals. "You guys, are going to hold the second line of defense in case we fail to stop the Legion. This is the only passage into the Strip, so things will be a bit easier to hold out. Just watch out for the sewers."

A redheaded woman spoke out. "Do you really doubt our ability to deal with the Legion? We've held off the Khans from taking the city."

"You are?"

"People like to call me Red Lucy," She answered. "I'm known for my eccentricities at the Thorn."

"If you really want an explanation, the rails between the camp and the Strip are connected, but if Hansa gets overrun and the Legion gets any bright ideas you are the first to stop them before they fuck us in the ass."

Red Lucy raised her eyebrows. "That's not the language I'd expect from an officer."

"Pre-war officer," The colonel corrected her. "I'd seen enough shit in my lifetime that I've earned that right. Any questions?"

"I do." Another voiced his concern. "Since the people are going to be fighting alongside your soldier boys, what kind of equipment are we going to get. A rusty 9mm sub-machine gun might be useful against bandits or thugs, but it ain't going to do good with the Legion."

"You must be the King of the Elvis Presleys. If you need better equipment, I doubt the other factions are going to be willing to share and I also doubt you'd want something made out of fifteen different guns. Gather your men, they'll get their hands on the Order's stocks."

"That's mighty kind of you."

"You're welcome." He looked away from the King. "Is everyone else ready?"

Only silence responded. "Very good then, take to your positions and-"

Bells cried out throughout the city. The locals became confused with the unfamiliar sound, but Artyom knew it very well from his time in the Metro. The alarms had come and the battle was about to begin. "The Legion is attacking."

Legate Lanius walked forth to see the red uniforms and the armor of his troops as they marched towards the city limits. The defenders did everything they could to leave nothing before him. However, he'd expected the dissolute and the profligates to destroy anything worth of value to his forces. Despite the limiting view of his eye sockets of his mask, the commander could see the figures of the enemy troops on the signposts and the rooftops of the buildings. They were going to fight for every inch of ground. Perhaps the sons of Mars would find a hefty reward once they purge the city of its blights.

He looked to the left to see the small perimeter of Camp McCarren as the rail lines were connected into the city itself. "Send a force to seize that military position, it is vital that we cut off any chance of escape and break them there. By that time, the blood will flow and the day will be ours."

One of his officers voiced his concern. "Shall we initiate the battle?"

"Yes. Deploy the first wave and send in the prisoners. They will do our work for us."

"Understood. Primes, advance!"

A thunderous march kicked up the dirt as the infantry dispersed and spread themselves out against the enemy defenses. Lanius watched the enemy guns open fire as he watched his men eagerly return the same greeting or simply pressed forward. There were losses to be had as he watched soldiers succumb to the lethality of the bullets and lie underneath the sunlight. However, the volume of fire seemed to lessen when the recently acquired NCR troopers were shielding his men from the enemy. Their bodies would become the foundation of Caesar's dreams.

He was still surprised when there was still gunfire picking off his troops. Yet, the sounds were quite different than he expected. The air cracked every now and then, picking off the handlers before the imprisoned NCR troopers rushed towards the city gates. With this development in mind, his men were quick to gun them down, but it did not pan out as he'd expected.

Still, it led to an opportunity when he saw the gates slowly open for the prisoners with a small squad of troops coming out with shields - helping the prisoners get inside. If they were going so far as to rescue the prisoners when the opportunity presented itself, he had to increase pressure upon the city. "Send in the next wave of troops."

Several of the vexillarii stepped forward, leading their respective units into combat as the enemy's small sally forth had left an opening for his troops. Yet, he understood that he couldn't rely on the Russians being incompetent. Among the ranks of his troops, he saw several extendable ladders and various equipment being carried by the blacksmiths. They were going to get over those walls or breach the walls with explosives if they must.

Artyom and Pavel barged into a room to find two empty windows to be smashed opened. "Pavel, you take the right one!"

"Davai!" The communist officer answered. "Chyort, they're not even sending the entire force."

The young man looked closer to see ladders and wire cutters being brought up to the wall. "They have ladders." This immediately made him raised his semi-automatic rifle and pull the trigger; however, for every man who succumbed to his bullets someone else took his place.

"I got this, chuvak," Pavel replied as the young man turned to his right to see a strange three-barreled device get pulled out from its back. "The closest thing we'll get to a grenade launcher." With a pull of a trigger, Artyom watched as a makeshift grenade was flying in their general direction, only to explode one of many ladders in the process.

"You should have brought another." He replied before he continued to suppress the waves of infantry pushing towards the walls.

"This thing eats up grenades like a fat bitch!" The officer shouted as bullets peppered his window. "Just give me yours and we'll be fine." Another grenade was ejected out of its chamber before more Legionaries were cut down by the fragmentation. "Eat that one, bastards."

Artyom's ears heard a great thunderous roar in the distance. It wasn't from the Legion's side, but it definitely was not from the city itself. Just what was coming down upon the fighting?

He was answered when large piles of dirt, sand, and rubble exploded from the ground. His ears rang as the enemy was caught in this storm of destruction. While there were those explosions that didn't hit the enemy, the energy emanating from the explosion itself had taken fully-armored men apart.

Pavel's banter had returned. "What the hell is happening?!"

"Must be Christine's doing. She went to a group of people called the Boomers."

"Tell her to give me a kiss. I wonder what other magic surprises she can pull out of her ass," he replied jokingly. "We should count Lenin's lucky stars that it didn't-ah!"

The explosions shook the ground and the close proximity to the artillery fire had shaken the building's fire as the ground floor collapsed with the two men landing one floor below.

After the landing, Artyom could feel the pain in his back as he rolled off the ground to see his friend do the same. "I had to open my fucking mouth."

Thankfully, the door was not blocked off by the rubble when someone kicked it open. A soldier with a Red Line uniform was quick to come to their aid. "Major Morozov, are you alright?"

"What the hell hit us, soldier?"

"A stray shell had nearly hit you." He answered. "Get up, sir! The enemy is moving through the crack in the wall. They're storming the city."

The major stole a glance from the stalker as helped him onto his feet. "On your feet, stelok."

After they had recovered from the blast, Artyom followed the officer as he looked at the allied soldiers take up positions in small holes that broke through the walls and floors. When they finally reached the first floor, he brought out his makeshift automatic shotgun and took positions around a small hole large enough to see and fit a barrel through, but small enough not to reveal his body in the process.

Another soldier shouted through the walls. "They're breaching the door!"

Looking to his right, he could see Pavel jam a new magazine into his weapon. "Fix bayonets, comrades. Keep calm and hold your ground."

Silence fell over the soldiers throughout the various rooms of the apartment. Beyond the fierce fighting happening outside of the building, no one spoke a word. The young man looked through the sights of his shotgun and watched the hallway. He had fought the Legion before, but that was with the help of an army of robots. He didn't have the luxury in this case.

Artyom heard the door get smashed down as feet thundered throughout the hallways. On the other side of the hallway, the wall on the left had fired. Bursts of assault rifle fire turned this small place into a kill zone; however, it was not enough to deter the Legion from storming the positions of those men. The gunshots echoed throughout the building as men screamed for their life. Each room becoming louder the moment the enemy found out about their ambushers.

Around the right corner of the hallway, Artyom caught several Legionary troops ran into his view. The moment they recognized his barrel, the stalker pulled the trigger without hesitation. Shells flew out of his weapon before another took its place, buckshot riddled the enemy mercilessly and without warning, and dozens bleed out on the wooden floor. By the time he was finished firing his shotgun, the barrel was burning red out from the amount of gunfire he put downrange. Yet, it was not enough to stop additional troops using his moment of respite.

"Artyom, take this." Returning his head to the right, Pavel passed a large knife over to him. "Plug that in on the small bit near the barrel. The bayonet is really going to help." He explained before plugging his onto his weapon.

He followed his example and managed to adjust the small piece into place before looking past the major. "Let us in profligates, we'll save you the trouble!"

"Up yours, asswipe!"

The duo quickly reloaded their weapons as they prepared for the enemy on the other side. Then they heard a chainsaw on the other side before it pierced through the door and slowly broke down the door. The weapon was removed before a hand slipped in and reached out for the doorknob. However, Pavel left nothing to chance before he lunged forward and nailed the enemy's arm with his blade. The screaming intensified as Artyom noticed a knife slip in to try and reach for his comrade before he blasted away at the second assailant.

A cry from their left grabbed their attention. The murder hole where Artyom took his position at was now being assaulted as the wall was slowly being chipped away by a man grunting. A commanding voice shouted orders on the other side of the wall. "You there, grab a sledgehammer and get in there!"

Through the misshapen hole in the door, gunfire flickered in the hallway before a ladder slipped into their room. "Comrade major, climb up!"

Artyom felt a pat on his shoulder. "Keep an eye on that wall."

Listening to his request, the young man looked at the barrel's heat fading away as the Legion exposed themselves to him. One of them took the opportunity to pull a revolver out, but Artyom pulled a trigger as the blast tore the man's hand off. Meanwhile, Pavel pulled his weapon out of the door as he quickly grabbed the ladder.

"Chuvak, climb up!" As Pavel waited for the stalker to follow, the Legion broke through with their weapons in hand. He grabbed Artyom's arm and pulled him through the hole in the floor before the others slipped their barrels inside and unleashed their fury upon the attackers. Some returned fire, but they didn't have a chance to hit the defenders. "Damn, they're already in the city. We need to fall back to the second line of defense and stand our ground there."

Before Artyom could even say a word, he saw a pre-war frag grenade fly through the hole in the floor. "Get down!" One of the men cried out.

The Rose of Sharon Cassidy directed the packs of brahmin to where they were needed. Most of the inventory consisted of heavy machine guns to ammo of all sorts. Soldiers and various militia troops came to her supply, grabbing what they needed before heading off. It was the best thing she could do as Artyom had wanted her to stay away from the fighting. Although he cared a lot about her well-being, she wasn't going to let that stop her from helping those in need of military equipment.

The caravaneer placed her brahmin beside a building where the defenders were holding the barricade. She looked around the corner to see the Legion pouring through the city walls with weapons in hand. However, the charging infantry found themselves engulfed in machine gunfire as the buildings on both sides of the street had opened up on the exposed infantry in the open. Many died in droves, but it was not enough to stop them. In fact, it only slowed them down as they charged towards her.

Those among the barricade did not stand idle as the automatic gunfire filled the streets with bullets. The kill zones were ever-apparent as New Vegas citizens and Metro dwellers found themselves fighting alongside one another. However, she recognized Ranger Tomilin at the barricade, but he carried a small detonator in hand. "Fire in the hole!" As soon as Cass saw his thumb press down on the detonator, several explosions ripple through the ranks of the Legion.

Taking one more look at the street, the enemy was dealt a horrific blow in casualties. Those that somehow survived were immediately put down save for the wounded. For a moment, she was relieved to see that the defenses were holding despite the Legion gaining a foothold within New Vegas. Then she heard metal scratching below her as she noticed a manhole slide open with a Legionary climbing out.

Cass pulled out her four-barreled shotgun and unleashed a blast into his back. With the wound too much for him to deal with, he slipped back into the sewers and succumbed to his doom. "They're coming out of the sewers!"

Her alert had managed to earn the attention of Ranger Tomilin as he came to her aid. "Chyort, I need some grenades right now," He ordered. "Good call, we'll take it from here."

Several men brought his needs from the convoy of brahmin as they lit the fuses and dropped them into the manhole. A moment later, an explosion echoed from below before another grenade was dropped down below.

She walked up to the ranger, curious about the situation at hand. "Any news about the other parts of the city?"

Tomilin nodded his head. "Yes. The Old Mormon Fort is holding and is keeping the Legion back; however, we had to write off some neighborhoods because the Legion got too many troops there. We intend to retake them, but it will take some time until we retake them back."

"Do you have a map of these neighborhoods? I might have to mark them on my Pip-Boy and avoid getting ambushed with all of our ammo and supplies being used by the Legion."

He pulled out a small clipboard. "Here, take a look."

Ever since Raul had returned to his shack, he had been isolated from the world ever since. Then the attack on New Vegas had happened, this was the closest he'd had been to an actual war ever since the bombs fell. Looking through his binoculars, he could see the Legion storm the city defenses, but it appeared that the defenders still managed to keep them from raising a flag over the city. Much as he wanted to be a lonely ghoul mechanic, there was something within his old bones that wanted to help those people in some way.

The only reason he had not acted upon those feeling was the painful memories about the last time he wore his vacquero clothes. He somehow found the Legion's arrival to bring some degree of order in this chaotic land, but seeing the brutality made him question whether they were worth being seen as the forces of order.

Raul heard footsteps behind his back and as he turned around, a large shadow fell over him. "What are you looking at?" He blinked at what he'd saw and found a group of supermutants that somehow snuck behind him in such numbers. "Are you alright?" The supermutant with the goggles had asked.

The old man shook his head. "I'm talking to a pack of supermutants that appeared out of nowhere. Do you know how you even managed to pull that off?"

"We were very quiet."

"Bullshit, for someone of your size, I would have heard you before you snuck up behind me."

"Indeed, but we can talk about that another time. I do have a proposal to make?"

"What proposal would that be?" Raul wondered. "The last time I was in the presence of some supermutants, they trapped me in a room like an animal."

"I can guarantee that it won't happen to you. Are you familiar with a man named Artyom?"

It was at this moment that the ghoul found himself surprised that he would know this name. "Who's asking?"

"My name is Marcus, I was someone who his mother knew a long time ago. I came here looking for an old-time mechanic and his skills because he needs help as of right now."

"Sure thing, big guy. I'll gladly help him out. I owe the gringo my life after what he did at Black Mountain." He replied. "Where is he right now?"

The supermutant pointed his finger at the city of New Vegas.

He took a glance at the war zone and couldn't believe what he was doing. "Hijo de puta!"

Author's Note: I was honestly trying to get this chapter out earlier, but school got in the way had to postpone the update until a later date. Now that I am done with one of my classes, I got a bit of free time on my hands to get this out there.

x-x-TheBurnedMan-x-x: This story isn't discontinued until I say it's discontinued. I'm glad that there are people who are stumbling upon this story. The rate of people finding this crossover is not great, but not terrible.

Paul Lenzen: Thank you, I'd appreciate the reviews. It helps a lot when someone somehow manages to read about fifty chapters before saying something about it.