My Reluctant Heroine

I know I mentioned it before, but I had been knocked unconscious more times in the first half of 2241 than I had in my whole life. In my unconscious state, I was unaware of the passage of time and unable to reflect on everything I'd been through. How did I get there?

Stumbling upon the corpses of those slavers near Klamath put me on a course of constant nonsense I couldn't really explain. Drunken bar nights, torture by slavers, running from cannibals, seeing ghosts, enslaved by miners, hooked on Jet, saved by a detective, drafted into a guard outfit, making friends, losing friends, stuck with a careless explorer, and then knocked out by well-dressed giants. I was stumbling into one conflict after another.

I should've written this by ending all the chapters at my periods of unconsciousness, but this was a turning point for me again. I didn't "Get my shit together" when I finally awoke. Instead, I stumbled into a new life that just happened to be a little more stable than the previous two months. Honestly though, if it wasn't for my addiction to Jet, I probably would've woken up a few months after that punch from the welcome committee, and probably in a worse condition if I even awoke at all. I suppose there's two heroines in this chapter.

So, my coma and the blackness of it was cut short by my brain telling me, "GET MORE JET!"

My vision instantly came to me, and I was staring up at a wooden ceiling with the light of day seeping through a window off to my right. I was staring at that ceiling for a long time before noticing the unending shake in my limbs. I just stared up at that ceiling with zero desire to see where I was or even address my body's lack of drugs. I did notice that I was on a comfortable bed, but all I could think about was Jet. The feeling was strange. My mind kept telling me to "Get Up and Find Jet NOW!" but I simply didn't. I just kept staring at that ceiling with my eyes wide.

After several minutes of watching the ceiling and feeling my limbs vibrate, I heard muffled voices and a door creak open, soon followed by laughter. When I realized the opening door was to whatever room I was in, and the laughing was loud enough, I sat up in one hinge-like motion with my eyes wide and bloodshot. Eyes fixated on the door; I saw a woman in nothing but underwear and a man, whom upon seeing me swing myself up right on the bed screamed;

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Their reaction made me join in with my own "AAAH!" and I saw the panicked look on her face and a look of horror on the man behind her. In the confusion and screaming, I shouted the first thing that came to mind, "WHERE CAN I GET MORE JET!?"

The two looked at me confused for a moment as they collected themselves. It was hard to hear what they said to each other, but she handed the man a small coin purse and the man walked off frustratedly. The woman shut the door behind her, approached my bedside, and pressed a hand to my sore chest. She pushed me until my upper half was fully reclined back on the bed, and pulled up a chair next to me. I studied her with my eyes still wide and limbs still shaking. She was pretty. Of course, she wasn't wearing hardly anything, but she was still very pretty regardless.

She had long dark hair flowing down past her shoulders, tanned "Hispanic" skin, amber colored eyes, and a seemingly very pretty face even under all that makeup. She sat quietly on the chair with legs crossed, a frown, and a cocked eyebrow. I broke my unintentionally psychotic stare from her red bra and focused on her face.

It was then that I asked weakly, "Where am I?"

Still with a cocked eyebrow, she seemingly demanded an answer when she asked a counter question, "What about Jet?"

I blinked at her a few times. My eyes felt as though I hadn't blinked in days. Had I not blinked since I woke up? Or was I unconscious with my eyes opened for... however long I was out? Anyway, I said to the woman, "That too… But where am I?"

She looked me over and studied my shaking limbs. The woman reached into a drawer on the nightstand and tossed me a Jet inhaler. She said, "Take a hit if it'll stop the trembling."

I took a light hit but held it in for only a second. Almost instantly, I felt the drug's effects wash over me and the trembling stopped. I quickly realized that was some of the concentrated stuff, so I released it fast to not lose myself completely. I let out my breath and eased back onto the pillow saying, "Thank you…"

She just gave a nod and said, "Good thing you woke up, we were getting ready to toss your ass out."

I asked the question again as I felt the drug take me, "Where am I?"

She responded simply, "The Cat's Paw. Miss Kitty and some of the other gals dragged you in off the street."

The drug went through my body, but my consciousness remained, and I asked, "How long have I been here?..."

I looked around the room not noticing any of my belongings and followed with, "Do you know what happened?"

She said curtly, "I was with a client at the time, but two nights ago they said you were in a street fight with the Mordinos and Bishops…"

She looked at my perplexed face and went on, "After the fight was over and the scavers picked you clean, it was safe for Miss Kitty and the girls to drag you in here. I don't know why they decided to stick you in my room! Do you know how hard it is to keep a client when they see a comatose wastelander in the bed!? Let alone one who shoots himself up with red eyes, psycho face, and shouts for Jet!"

I asked lazily feeling the drug start to alter my feelings, "Haha. Keeping clients when I'm here? Haha. I imagine pretty hard?"

She said, "Yeah, it usually stops most clients outright when they see a passed out You… But not all…"

I asked innocently, "Wha- What?"

The woman stated, "Some clients are into having a 'spectator'. Some are into that spectator being a corpse or coma patient… But that's still not all. Some are into some extra fun."

Creeped out but high and happy, I asked dumbly, "That's- Not All?"

She let out a laugh, but continued seriously, "Yeah! That's not all though; some clients even paid extra for a threesome with your body and me. You wouldn't believe all the stuff we managed to fit inside you!..."

There was a long pause when she noticed the look of horror on my face despite the drug euphoria. She broke her pause and let out a hysterical laugh, "Hahaha! Just kidding! Nobody fucked your unconscious body! Hahaha! Although your hung open mouth and wide bloodshot eyes certainly tempted a few clients! Hahaha!..."

I guess that was one mystery solved. My eyes were open the whole time I was out, and apparently that turned on a few degenerate clients... She continued to laugh as I let out a nervous chuckle. Then she added, "… But you sure can sleep through a lot of noise! Hahaha!"

Fairly certain I hadn't been molested at that point, I asked happily, "Have you been taking care of me?"

She eased herself down from laughing her ass off and responded, "Yeah, for the most part. Spent every few hours pouring water down your throat and mashed up food, so you don't choke. But, that's over now! Now that you're awake you can get the hell out of my room!" She then gave me a sweet smile.

I said, "Well, uhh… Thank you…." and motioned for her name.

She said, "Sophia" followed again by an overly sweet and condescending smile.

I continued, "Well thanks, Sophia… Where should I go?"

She said, "Not my problem…" but then seemingly felt pity for the euphoric but utterly lost looking expression on my face because she then asked, "… What are you good at? Clearly you're not too good at fighting, Haha!"

I frowned and said to the room but still happily, "Wish I had all my stuff!? I'm in a strange town, with no food, no road gear, and no cash to pay you for helping me!"

It was in that moment that I noticed I was only wearing my tan cargo pants, no shirt, and no shoes or socks. She gave a *Hmmm?* and said, "Yeah, the scavers got you good. But don't worry about paying me, nothing happened, at least nothing I charge for… And Miss Kitty has a soft spot for people who get pummeled by the Mordinos..."

She paused and tried to lift my spirits by saying, "At least the scavers left you your pants?" sincerely

I gave the prostitute a smile and said, "Yeah. They took everything from my pockets though. You said the Mordinos got me? And who are the Bishops by the way? I came into town with a guy from the Wright Family?"

Sophia thought for a second with another audible *Hmmm?* and followed with, "I don't know anything about someone from the Wright's, but from what I heard; the Mordinos were kicking the shit out of you and 'some other guy' and the Bishops took the moment to attack'em…"

She studied me, "How did you and your 'Wright's Friend' get here?"

I answered honestly, "I was with a mercenary group and we got mixed up with a group of explorers working for the Wright Family..."

Her gaze was focused on me as I continued, "We got attacked a day or two later… Me and that 'Wright guy' were the only ones who survived."

She leaned back in her chair and thought for a while as she looked at me. She finally said, "You were a mercenary?"

I thought for a second as I considered what I actually was, but nodded and she thought out loud by saying, "Mercenary and an explorer survive a caravan attack, arrive in town, and got their asses kicked by Mordinos thugs? Interesting?"

I interjected, "They outnumbered and got the drop on us, how are we supposed to fight that?... Also, I was the 'Designated Marksman' of the team…"

I chuckled and she looked at me confused. I then said with fake pride in the skills I didn't really have, "I'm more of a 'Ranged Fighter' if I say so myself." (Lying and trying to excuse my prior ass whooping)

She said, "Yeah, I could see that. I've seen those thugs from the Mordinos, and if you're used to guns n stuff, they could easily knock you into a coma for three days! Haha!"

I laughed. It was nice talking to a person with a sense of humor (Even if I got mine from brain damage). So, I said, "Of course! But yes, I was a mercenary… In a sense… But after shit hit the fan, I never even got paid for the caravan job I survived. Then, I floated into town just in time to get my ass beat! Haha!"

She laughed for a minute and said, "Well, if you're looking for mercenary work, I might be able to help you out?"

I had nothing to lose and nothing but the clothes on my back… or legs. So, I asked, "What's that?"

She adjusted in the chair and said, "My brother, Tuco, he works for the Bishops here in town. Usually he's running a crew north or east from here, but he might be interested in hiring you if you got the experience. He should be in town for a few more days?"

I said, "Bishops huh? I had a buddy who worked with the Bishops… And I probably shouldn't try to get involved with the Mordinos unless you want my corpse in your bed for a few more days?"

She laughed, and I smiled at making her laugh again. She said, "No, that probably wouldn't be the best idea, Haha! Mordinos are good with faces, they'd definitely remember beating yours into a pulp. You know where the Bishops are holed up?"

I said, "No, I have no idea where anything is in this town."

She got out a pen and paper from the drawer and wrote something down while she said, "Go past the big 'Reno' sign and past 'The Desperado Casino', that's where the Mordinos come from. They probably have no idea who you are but try to stick to the crowds and don't get close to any thugs in black suits…"

I said, "Lesson learned."

She looked up from the paper and smiled. Then she continued, "Past the big boxing gym on 2nd street will be the Shark Club on the right. It's the big casino lit up with blue neon lights and Bishop's thugs usually wear blue suits, so you'll know you're heading in the right direction..."

She handed me the paper and said, "Tell them Sophia Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez sent you, and say you're looking for Tuco."

I exclaimed dumbly, "Wow! That's quite the name!" I unfolded the paper to see a little map showing where we were and how to get to the Shark Club. Below that was her full name.

She said, "I wrote my name on the bottom in case you forget it. If they say, 'Tuco who?' Just say you're looking for Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez. Not even the tight lipped forget a name like that..."

She looked me over again and added, "Might wanna find some clothes though. They won't let some barefoot and shirtless wastelander into the Shark Club. Also, you might wanna come down from the Jet too."

I nodded, said, "Sounds good" and began to formulate some kind of plan even in my drug induced state.