AN: Welcome back! Sorry for the wait, and now chapter 4 of Fallout: Unforgotten!
The light of the sun began to peak from behind the horizon, casting an orange, purple and blue sky over the Mojave. The sight was quiet beautiful but Amata had a hard time finding appreciation for it due to how tired she was. Between thoughts on the possible whereabouts of the Lone Wanderer and whether it would be a good idea to fall asleep with the Courier about she didn't get much sleep. Reasoning that this was enough sleep she was going to get she decided to get an early start on the day. Stifling a yawn she got her things together and exited the Bison Steve hotel, when the Courier suggested the place she was skeptical but she had to admit it was better than sleeping outside in the wilderness. Amata was half expecting the Courier to pop up unwanted as he had the tendency to do, but only saw a lone old man sweeping off the front of his store, the sign above him reading 'Mojave Express'. Holding back yet another yawn she headed out of town, the air was still cool from the night but it was a welcoming change even though it wouldn't last once the sun reaches the sky. As she was passing an old pre-war highway patrol station she didn't notice the pair of eyes that watched her as she passed. Satisfied that she didn't pose any threat the individual returned to the meeting that was being held inside.
"She's on the move again." The individual reported, the individual wore the black armor that clearly marked him as an NCR Veteran Ranger. The other two he reported two nodded their heads in agreement and returned to their 'meeting' with the Courier.
"If you're done playing 'peeping Tom' can we get down to business?" The Courier asked as if he was bored.
"Watch yourself punk." The ranger warned glaring at him through the red lenses in his helmet.
"Don't give him the satisfaction of getting under your skin, and if you're done Courier give us your report." The other ranger ordered.
"What is there to report? Same shit different day, burned a Legion scouting camp and killed a few Legionnaires." The Courier yawned.
"And what about the girl?" the Ranger asked.
"What about her?" the Courier retorted.
"She came from the east, just like the other one. You can't tell me she hasn't peaked you interest." The Ranger noted.
"She's not a threat if that's what you're wondering." The Courier answered dismissively.
"Tell that to the NCR blockade he blew through, if she's anything like him we need to know. The NCR needs to know." The Ranger added.
"I surprise the NCR needs to concern themselves with the affairs of some red head, if she bothers you so much why not put a bullet in her and be done with it." The Courier shrugged.
"That maybe how you operate Courier, but that's not how we do things in the NCR. Continue keeping watch on her and inform us of any changes. We'll meet again in the El Dorado Gas & Service station." The Ranger ordered before dismissing the Courier.
The sun was beginning to rise in the sky and so was the temperature in the Mojave Wasteland, which only served as a signal to Amata that she had been walking for quite a while. With only the occasional Wasteland critter and over grown ant being a minor hindrance she quickly became bored.
'At least with the Courier there was someone to talk to…' Amata mind wandered.
"I can't believe I just thought that." Amata shuttered, she approach the ruins of a pit stop and was surprise to find a lone individual laying in the middle of the road. The whole scene sent a red flag up in Amata's mind, it had to be the oldest trick in the book.
"You don't obviously think I'm going to fall for this." She called out.
No sooner had she said it the individual sat up and looked at her.
"I knew this was a stupid idea, alright she knows! We go with plan B!" he yelled out.
Amata was expecting two maybe three other but when a group of ten individuals step from their hiding spots she knew she bit off more than she could chew, and given what little cover they had left her with on her end this group had been doing this for a while.
"Alright hand over any and all valuables you got on you." Their leader demanded stepping to the front of the group, he wore some odd looking armor made of metal complete with metal spike should pads and as if to complete the set his hair was spiked.
'Must have a thing for spikes' Amata thought as she eyed her robbers. They weren't well equipped as their leader but their numbers made up for that.
"I'm afraid that's just not going to happen." Amata retorted.
"I was hoping you'd say that. Alright! Time to have some fun! Go get her!" their leader ordered.
Amata fired on the first attacker nailing him in the stomach folding him in two, the second shot she fired hit another in the chest dropping her. The rest quickly grew wise and took cover before returning fire forcing Amata to dive into cover behind a crumpling brick wall. When she saw she wasn't alone she nearly jumped back into the line of fire.
"Where the hell did you come from?" Amata yelled over the gunfire at the Courier who was sitting with his back against the wall.
"45th person to ask me that." He noted as he took out his lighter and lit the cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"Well since you're here, you mind helping out?" Amata begrudgingly asked as she returned fire.
"Nah, I'm sure you can handle this." He answered as he took a drag.
"We'll both die if we don't get out of this!" Amata reasoned as she took out another attacker with a shot to the head.
"Well I guess my life is in your hands." The Courier carelessly gestured with a wave of his hand as he exhaled with a small puff of smoke.
"Of all the people I could get stuck with." Amata muttered to herself as she nailed foe.
"You're the sixth person to say that." The Courier noted as he peaked from cover watching the fight.
Resigning that she would have to take care of the attackers on her own she took stock of what ammo she had left. With 7 attackers left and their leader barking out orders it wasn't going to be easy.
'For once I'd like things to be in my favor.' Amata bemoaned mentally. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted with the distinct sound of a grenade landing near her, she instinctively stood up and kicked it back. The grenade landed behind a wall before detonating with a deafening boom taking 3 more attackers out of the fight.
"And then there were 5." The Courier smiled as he was enjoying the show. Amata fought back the urge to berate him and focused on the remaining foes. She reloaded her weapons and entered V.A.T.S. as time slowed to a crawl for Amata she could see her situation more clearly. The remaining attackers were moving to flank while their leader stayed back taking pot shots. She selected three targets and pulled the trigger. Everything afterwards felt automatic as she fired with deadly precision. One round found its mark in the chest ripping through his flimsy body, another round caught the other in the neck just as he broke cover. The final round exit the chamber and cut through the air and hit its target in his side severely wounding him. Just as she V.A.T.S handed Amata back control of her body she fired at the last would be flanker but missed him as he dived behind another crumbling wall.
"You missed." The Courier noted stating the obvious with a small smile.
"I know." Amata growled agitated. She quickly rushed the wall and leaped on top of it. She shoved her boot down on unfortunate man's face as he was turning to face her. She placed all of her weight on him shoving him to the ground, a small crack was heard as his nose broke under the pressure. She stepped off him and continued her assault as she turned her repeater around and slammed the butte of her rifle into his head repeatedly to the point she caved in his skull.
"Hey psycho." The Courier called out to her.
"What now!" Amata snapped at him.
"The leader is getting away." He pointed out nodding towards the shrinking figure of the gang leader running away. Amata turned and looked in complete disbelief, the gang leader had created enough distance to just be outside her range of accuracy.
"Just let him go, if the coward wants to live so badly." Amata sighed.
"Well if you're not going to kill him." The Courier trailed off as he pulled his revolver, Amata saw him take an odd stance as he rested his revolver just over his left arm. The Courier adjusted slightly for distance and wind resistance, leading his target he pulled back on the hammer with his thumb. With a pull of the trigger the hammer slammed the .45 caliber round and sent it along its way. There was a slight pause between him and Amata as they watch the gang leader flew waiting to see if the Courier hit his target. They soon got their answer as the target's head violently snap to the left and sent his body spiraling to the ground. Amata turned and looked at the Courier just as he was blowing the smoke off his gun and with a quick spin he holstered his revolver.
"Show off." Amata muttered.
"Come on, you got to admit that was pretty impressive." The Courier bragged seeking some form of praise but instead he got the cold shoulder as Amata turned her attention to something else.
'I used up way to much ammo on this fight… I guess there's no better alternative.' Amata thought as she resigned herself to the act of scavenging off of dead bodies, she figured her aversion to the act was some mental tether to her old self. While she was scavenging the Courier looked at the scene of the fight and replayed it in his head analyzing it all.
'A bit sloppy, combat effectiveness B-. Definitely some room for improvement.' He noted to himself. He eyed a few dead bodies.
'Takes shots that have a high probability of hitting their target, but relies on V.A.T.S in sticky situations. Accuracy C+' he continued making mental notes. He soon came to the body which had the badly mutilated skull and noted that Amata seemed to avoid going near.
'Subject seems to show remorse… or guilt? A troubled pass? This Lone Wanderer character seems to have a profound effect on her if she traveled all this way, but what for? Revenge? Love? I should keep an eye on this one.' He concluded.
"You're not looting this one?" he asked nudging the corpse with his foot.
"I got enough to carry." Amata answered as she took stock.
"No .357 rounds but plenty of .32 and 9mm rounds. I guess it's better than nothing." Amata noted to herself as she put the two .32 revolvers away and placed her newly acquired 9mm in her back pocket.
"Amata, are you squeamish?" The Courier asked, the question only served to put Amata on edge. She gave him an odd look before answering.
"I've seen enough disgusting and depraved things both natural and manmade so no."
'Well she's in for a surprise.' The Courier thought as Amata continued down the road towards Nipton.
AN: Thanks for reading! I've been reading the reviews and I'm happy to see that the 'Bad Courier' is becoming an interesting character! I will be uploading another chapter soon say stay in touch.