As the sun began to set behind the mountains, New Vegas began to awaken as the asphalt streets began to cool off. Valeria had finished hauling crates of produce for the Westside Co-Op and was making her way back to the Apartment she shared with Veronica. The Co-Op was an informal market run by the Westsiders where they sold the surplus grain and vegetables they had managed to grow in their sheltered plots. It wasn't a lot of food, but by wasteland standards it was an impressive bounty. Sometimes Valeria offered her services as a manual laborer to raise extra money. It didn't pay well, but she could usually find a day job as word had spread that she could do the work of three men.
Ever since the party at the Ultra-Luxe, Veronica had become obsessed with getting enough supplies to travel to Death Valley. She would offer her services as a tinkerer and repairwoman, then return after dark to store what she made during the day. Valeria wanted to help her friend, but found there was little work to be had for her medical and mechanical training under the neo-luddite domination of the Legion. Pretty Sarah often approached them with partly serious offers to work as escorts, but both firmly refused. Meanwhile word was spreading of a major event in the Thorn with rumors of an unusually large purse for the winner. It was even said that Caesar himself would be attending to celebrate the Legion's victory over the Boomers.
The Boomers had occupied Nellis Air Force Base since before the NCR had arrived. They fiercely defended their independence with artillery fire against any who tried to approach the fence. When the Legion occupied Vegas, Caesar had sent an expeditionary force to Nellis, which was brutally repulsed. With the demands of absorbing the Mojave into his empire taking priority, Caesar postponed another attack, many assumed indefinitely. The second assault on Nellis was as unexpected as it was sudden, and the Legion's victory was a sobering reminder of its power and ruthlessness.
However, Valeria had also been hearing whispers that the fall of Nellis had come at a horrific price for the Legion. Some suspected that the increased frequency of patrols was meant to cover the reality that the Legion's garrisons were now under strength. The Legion was mounting a media campaign of posters and flyers extolling Caesar's strength and the might of the Legion on a scale not seen since the NCR was driven out of the Mojave. Valeria had little opinion about the pageantry except that it confirmed that the Thorn was going to host its biggest spectacle ever. Valeria had no intention of returning to the Thorn, but time and her own mutant physiology was working against her.
Veronica was well aware of Valeria's need to eat raw meat to sustain her metabolism and healing abilities. In an effort to lessen the strain on their meager finances, Valeria kept herself on the edge of starvation, eating only when the need was simply too great. However, what Veronica didn't know about was Valeria's need for human proteins. Whether it was built into her genetic code or was a random mutation, Valeria needed occasional infusions of human tissue to stay healthy. Once she had found a tribe of mutant cannibals with a similar affliction. Their leader had tried to control their craving by having them consume human blood alone. Following their example, Valeria found that by using blood packs to supplement her diet she was able to stave off the worst of her hunger. However, blood packs were not easy to find, and their price on the black market was high.
When Valeria shared her first winnings from the Thorn with Veronica, she didn't tell her that she had already spent a significant part of it buying a blood pack. As the purses declined, Valeria ignored her growing hunger as they attempted to save enough to enter the Strip. The taste of the "sweet veal" at the Ultra-Luxe had sharpened her craving, and Valeria realized she needed another infusion soon before the hunger turned her into a crazed beast. Veronica had left for her daily odd jobs when Valeria opened the metal box where they kept their stash, and with a heavy heart took what she thought she'd need. Valeria hoped she would make enough as a day laborer to cover the theft before Veronica found out, but deep down she knew it wouldn't be enough.
Valeria's time with Veronica had been hard as they lived in squalor and often went to bed with hunger pains gnawing at them. It was also one of the happiest times Valeria could remember in years. Her only friend growing up had been the Vault Overseer's daughter Amata. Her last memory of Amata was her tear streaked face as the massive Vault door rolled closed sealing Valeria outside forever. Her father James had been her only other companion in the Vault, and her last memory of him was his irradiated body slumping to the floor as he sacrificed himself to save her. She had briefly met a Supermutant named Fawkes who helped her escape his more savage kin in the grim fortress of Vault 87. The last she had seen of the heroic mutant was his body plummeting into a black abyss as the Vault tore itself apart in a catastrophic meltdown.
The only other person Valeria could have called a friend was Sarah Lyons, the daughter of the Elder of the D.C. Chapter of the Brotherhood. The Enclave destroyed the Brotherhood's base at the Citadel, killing Sarah's father as well as many Brotherhood knights and scribes. Valeria felt personally responsible, although she could never tell Sarah why. For a brief time Valeria was imprisoned in the Enclave's fortress at Raven Rock. The Enclave's leader, a supercomputer named "President Eden", offered her a bargain to allow them both to escape. Valeria had agreed not knowing what the AI would do with its freedom. Unable to confess what she felt was her role in the destruction of the Citadel, Valeria left without a goodbye or explanation. Although she had met other people on her journey through the midwestern empty, her ghastly secret had kept her on the move until she met Veronica. For stretches, Valeria tried not to think of anything but the moment as she enjoyed Veronica's quirky sense of humor and relentless optimism. She basked in the glow of her companionship as she dared to let herself experience what she had convinced herself she never would. But then the hunger would make its presence felt, and Valeria became desperate to keep its pangs at bay and Veronica ignorant of its existence.
Pretty Sarah's burn-scarred face twisted into a smirk as she saw Valeria approach. She didn't offer Valeria and Veronica escort jobs anymore, but her smirk always seemed to say that it was only a matter of time before they came to her. Valeria didn't smile in return as she opened the door and entered the dark interior. As she climbed the creaking stairs she could hear the gasps and moans of Sweety from her room further down the hall. Sweety was the youngest of Pretty Sarah's escorts, and often entertained clients until late in the evening. On one of the rare occasions that Sweety and Valeria spoke to each other, the whore admitted that having Valeria down the hall was reassuring. Valeria was so intimidating in appearance and reputation that she had little fear of her John's getting rough.
At least her presence was doing someone some good, Valeria observed sourly as she used her key to open the door to her apartment. As the door swung open Valeria froze as she saw Veronica was also home. She was wearing her customary hide dress and hood and was using their only table and chair as she worked with a pile of circuits spread out before her.
"Hey Ronnie." Valeria said with a nervous smile. "How did it go today?"
"Fine." Veronica replied without turning around. "Did you get what you were looking for?"
Valeria instantly detected the chill in the innocent seeming question, and knew that the confrontation she had desperately hoped to avoid had finally arrived.
"Ronnie…I…." Was all Valeria said before Veronica whirled around in the chair and fixed Valeria with a furious glare.
"Why Val?" She snapped. "Why did you take our money without telling me?"
"I can explain…" Valeria blurted as she raised her hands as if to hold Veronica back.
"Oh you can?" Veronica replied sarcastically. "Don't tell me, let me guess. This was a one time cost, and you were going to repay it before I found out…right?"
Valeria's mouth opened to reply, then closed as she stared with shame at the floor between her boots.
"While I was fixing a still over at the Atomic Wrangler, I overheard a conversation between some Thorn hunters." Veronica stood from the chair and slowly strode toward Valeria while she spoke. "They were talking about the usual prize for volunteers in the arena, and I couldn't help but notice a discrepancy between what they said and what you showed me." Veronica was now standing directly in front of Valeria and glaring up into her face.
"Ronnie…please." Valeria tried to say before Veronica silenced her with an abruptly raised hand.
"I don't want to hear it!" She exclaimed furiously. "We've lived in this hellhole on the brink of starvation trying to get enough money and you've been holding out on me!"
"I didn't mean to steal from you." Valeria replied miserably as she realized how feeble her words sounded.
"Oh well that makes it all better than!" Veronica shouted with mounting fury. "Where's the money Val?"
"It's gone." Valeria finally said as she continued to stare at the floor.
"For what?" Veronica exploded. "Drugs? Which flavor? Med-X? Psycho?"
"It's not drugs Ronnie."
"Than what?"
"I…can't tell you." Valeria finally said as she forced her head up to meet Veronica's furious gaze. Tears were filling Valeria's eyes, and at the sight of Valeria's misery Veronica hesitated.
"I thought you were trying to help me." Veronica finally said her voice choked with emotion. "I thought we were partners."
"We are Ronnie." Valeria whispered.
"Partners don't steal from each other." Veronica snapped with some of the rage returning to her eyes. "Partners care about each other's dreams! What's your dream you big freak? Is it stringing me along so you can have someone to talk to in this dump?"
Valeria started in shock to hear Veronica refer to her as a "freak". She also felt a wave of guilt as she suddenly realized that what Veronica was accusing her of was exactly what she had done.
"I'm…so sorry Ronnie." Valeria said miserably, realizing how inadequate her apology sounded.
"Why can't you tell me Val?" Veronica demanded. "Do you owe money to some mobsters and planned to let me know after they showed up to collect?"
"No Veronica." Valeria replied shaking her head. "It's nothing like that."
"So what I don't know won't hurt me, is that it?" Veronica replied sarcastically with her fist on her hip. Valeria flushed and looked away and Veronica's mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"You do think it would hurt me, don't you?" She accused.
"Veronica, you're the only friend I have." Valeria pleaded as she turned back to meet Veronica's furious gaze. "I didn't realize how…lonely I was. I didn't want to lose this." Valeria gestured vaguely between Veronica and herself, then let her arms fall helplessly.
"So whatever your deep, dark secret is." Veronica finally said as she folded her arms. "You think its dangerous and you're willing to steal from me rather than let me find out what it is."
Valeria didn't reply and simply stared miserably at the floor, her cheeks wet with tears.
"Well guess what?" Veronica snarled. "You can keep your fucking secret. Get out!"
Valeria looked up at Veronica, her face stricken. Then she squared her shoulders, turned and walked to the door. Veronica watched silently as Valeria retrieved her hammer from its place against the wall, and without looking back stepped through the door and quietly closed it behind her. Veronica stood immobile, her arms still folded as she glared at the door. Then she turned and angrily threw herself into the chair and grabbed an electronic component and a screwdriver. She angrily jabbed at the device, then with a cry swept everything to the floor and buried her face in her arms.
Red Lucy sat behind the desk in her office, reading a ledger at the flickering light of a lantern. She could hear the roars of the beasts the Thorn had acquired in preparation for Caesar's event. Then there was a heavy knock at her steel door.
"What?" She demanded. The door opened and one of her leather armored guards stepped inside.
"The one called Valeria wishes to speak with you." He said impassively.
"Ah, my favorite hunter." Lucy replied with a smile. "Send her in." The guard stepped back through the door and soon the giant woman entered, ducking her head to clear the steel door frame.
"The Thorn showed me that you would return." Red Lucy said as she rested her chin on her steepled fingertips. "You wish to fight in the Battle Royale?"
"I do." Valeria said, her face devoid of expression.
"You were slow to see the truth. There have been others who seek to battle in the grand event and I cannot promise you a place anymore."
"Yes you can." Valeria replied, unconsciously baring her fangs in a snarl. "You want a spectacle worthy of Caesar and we both know I'm the only one capable of giving it. I will fight for you but only on one condition."
"You wish to dictate terms?" Red Lucy exclaimed, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Very well my hunter, name your conditions and Red Lucy will decide if the Thorn will answer."
"I want everything I earn to go to Veronica Santangelo." Valeria said firmly as she crossed her arms. Red Lucy looked thoughtfully into Valeria's eyes for several seconds before her smile widened and she nodded.
"The Thorn will grant your request."
"Just like that?"
"It doesn't matter who the money goes to as long as you spill blood in the Thorn." Red Lucy explained. "Your eyes are those of one who doesn't care if they live or die. I have no use for such in the Thorn. However you are fighting for someone else, which means you want her to benefit from your pain as much as possible. You will fight as hard if not harder for this 'Veronica' then to keep your own life. You will have your battle my hunter."
Valeria nodded grimly. "Just tell me when I need to be there."