Gun Powder and Maps – Chapter 4 – Roses are Red

The courier's eyes opened wide in surprise as she approached the caravan, "What the hell, Cass? Back caravanning? The very thought made you drink!" The red-head in front of Brooke laughed and replied, "I've always thrived on my whiskey! You'd never figure it, but Alice McLafferty died. Probably murdered with all the fucking shit she did. God awful bitch. The Crimson's were lost without her, so I offered my 'skills' to them, and now I'm rolling in the caps. Anyways, how have you been?" Brooke laughed under her breath, "Trying to keep sane. I'm on constant treks across this God forsaken place."
"The old prick's still using you, huh? Tell him to fuck off and get a real pack mule."
"The House always wins, Cass."

The caravaneer nodded her head and put her pale hands on her hips. She let a sigh slip from her lips as she stared up at the sun. "So what made you run after my train of dickheads?" The courier finally remembered what she wanted and replied, "I need ALL of the scrap metal you have… along with your sensor modules and any spare electronics. I don't care if I have to crawl back to New Vegas with the load on my back. I need em'." Cass smiled and yelled to her boys to gather up all their wares. The Brahmin were unpacked and one by one, tanned, built men in torn clothing dispersed the scrap into a gigantic pile coated in rust. The courier looked at the mounting hill and thought to herself, "Magnificent."

Cass smiled at Brooke and whispered, "My guys are handsome enough, but you should see them when you're drunk. They are absolutely delectable and completely fuckable." A wink crossed her freckled face and Brooke smirked. She crossed her arms as a thought ran through her mind of Cass basking in her whiskey and men.

Returning from her thoughts, the wanderer asked her old companion, "How much for this junk?" "Free," came the answer.
"No."
"Yes."
"Dammit, Cass."
"Well fuck you too."

The two were never going to reach a compromise and Brooke gave in. She withdrew an old ratted duffle bag from ED-E's chassis and stuffed everything she had gained into it. The poor sack was pushed to its limits and heaved upon her stiff back.

"Well don't rush off just yet. We're setting up camp soon. I could use a friendly face," Cass pleaded. Brooke looked at ED-E as if expecting a reaction and said, "Sure. We're not exactly running on a tight schedule."

Brooke had dressed into her leather armor and reclined on a log next to Cass, who at the moment was loosening her hair until it fell upon her shoulders in bent waves. The light from the fire flickered across their faces as the weary travelers sat with half heated cans of baked beans and ripped boxes of potato crisps. The courier savored her purified water as Cass swished her amber whiskey against the sides of the dusty bottle. ED-E drifted around the camp on constant alert, clicking and chirping every few minutes.

Cass gave a weak cough and spoke up, "I tell ya'. This group of dicks is the most boring I've ever been with. I usually let them relish in their dirty jokes, but don't expect a conversation." "How do you survive? I mean, at least I have ED-E to talk to," Brooke retorted. Cass cocked an eyebrow. "Wow… Point proven. No wonder you're gradually going nuts. Girl you need to take a break."
"Breaks are for pussies."
"Well you may not be one but you have one. Take a break."
"Where at? Jacobstown resort?"

Cass shook her head in disappointment and scoffed, "Oh my God, you always look at the pissy side of everything. I'm surprised you managed to start in the Capital Wasteland and end up here." Brooke nodded her head. It was an amazement to her too. Vaulties were supposed to die on contact outside of their comfy underground homes.

Cass leapt from the log and gave a huge stretch with a long yawn, "Think about what I said. Living is a full time job within its self. Old' Mighty House can get his rocket-launcher minions to wipe his ass. Night." She walked off to one of the tents, kicking dirt at the group of men on the other side of the fire, and finally retired to her ratted bed roll.

For a few moments longer the courier rested her head on her fists and stared into the campfire. She took one last bite of a potato crisp, gulped down the finishing drops of her water, and left for sleep.

Early in the morning the camp was dismantled and the Brahmin were packed and mooing, their double heads lazily swinging in the cool air. Cass lovingly hugged Brooke, "Go drag yourself back to your master, ya' whore," Cass yelled as her friend began to head for New Vegas and she herself headed to the Gun Runner's factory. Brooke laughed. "I'll drop in to say hi sometime at the fort. I realize you're on a tight schedule so I'll see ya' round, Cass." ED-E buzzed along as the courier walked into the setting sun, hurrying to reach her destination before dark.

A/N: Story statuses are located on my profile page. I try to update often. Thanks for reading and reviewing!