Thanks to MoncheleFinchel, noro and AnnPatrick for your reviews and story follows. It means a lot and keeps me motivated. Kudos to any other fans who have me on author alert. Let the action continue!
1 day later.
Abandoned Lean-To shack
Southeast of Novac off I-95
Bright streaks of yellow were appearing on the horizon as Finn and Rachel arrived so they could continue their training. The morning air smelled brisk but it would soon become another hot day in the desert. The structure's remains were a roof of metal sheet sections riveted to a couple of vertical wooden planks driven into the ground. When the sun was high in the sky it would provide some needed shade, and the open floor plan let any existing breezes blow through. Finn brought some fresh batteries to power the ham radio he kept in a locked metal box. He would set it up and check in with Kurt when they finished so his brother would know they were not in any trouble or needed assistance. A three tiered display rack, a bedroll and a campfire site were the only other noticeable items. Finn noticed Rachel's concerned reaction.
"I know it doesn't look like much, but it's got all we need for a short stay. We can even rest during the hot parts of the day. Let's get our gear out."
As they walked under the metal roof and started unpacking Rachel looked over at her male companion.
"It's very practical Finn, all the comforts of home. Well, I don't see a fridge so maybe not."
"I'll see about that Rachel, it's on my to-do list."
"Really? That would be great. If we had some cold drinks you'd be my hero forever."
"Thanks for the thought, but it's going to be warm water or soda again. Let's see how you pick up basic shooting and maybe you can earn a treat."
"Oh Finn, you brought me more sweets? I'll really try to be a good girl and earn them."
"I highly doubt that."
Rachel looked over at Finn with mock outrage which caused him to start laughing. She pulled out a box of Mac and Cheese that was part of her lunch supplies and threw it at him. It hit Finn in the chest but he caught it before it fell to the ground. He smirked back at her.
"That's not helping Rachel. You're learning to shoot, not throw food at me. But if your hand-eye coordination is this good you're going to do great. Let's see what you got Miss Bad Girl."
Rachel had a big smile of her own as she placed her hands on her hips.
"You have no idea, bring it on."
"I like your attitude, I'll go set up some targets for you."
Rachel watched as Finn placed some empty soda bottles on one of the horizontal wooden support beams then walked back and reached inside his backpack. He pulled out a small pistol and showed it to his female friend.
"This is a silenced .22 caliber pistol. Perfect for beginners, and also when you don't want to give your position away. It has a 16 round clip, but I'll go over the reloading part later. Let's get you in position."
Finn positioned Rachel about 10 walking paces from the line of bottles and handed her the weapon. She tested the weight with her right hand.
"What's this little lever?"
"That's the safety switch. Always put that on before holstering the gun or cleaning it. But when we go out to explore have it ready to fire always. Point it at the bottles."
Finn stood slightly behind Rachel so he could adjust her posture or technique with ease.
"Feet shoulder width apart, hold the gun with both hands. Use your thumb to click the switch to fire mode. Look down the iron sight on the barrel to aim with, gently squeeze the trigger."
Rachel's first few shots at the far left bottle missed due to a slight rising of the barrel as it recoiled.
"That was close Rachel, let me show you something."
Finn reached around his partner's body and put his hands over hers to help steady Rachel's next shot.
"Aim a little down, breathe in, hold it, fire."
Rachel aimed at the bottle's lower base and pulled the trigger. This time the bottle spun sideways then fell backwards off the wood to the ground. She felt a surge of excitement, and it was not all due to her successful shot. The feeling of Finn's warm hands over hers made her skin tremble with excitement, and Rachel could feel her heart racing.
"I did it! Thanks for being so patient with me."
Rachel was turning her body so she could give Finn a proper hug but he grabbed her by the shoulders to lock her in place.
"C'mon Rachel, don't point a loaded weapon at me. I thought I meant more to you than that."
The two young people shared another laugh as Rachel realized her mistake.
"I'm sorry Finn, wasn't thinking. You're still my favorite partner, no worries about that."
"I have competition? What a way to hurt a guy."
Rachel put the .22 gun's safety back on and handed it back to Finn.
"Funny you should say that. Now it's my turn to teach you. Prepare to feel the hurt."
"Guns not your thing? You can practice more later. Okay choose your weapon."
Finn pulled some items out of the metal storage box and held them up. One was a gauntlet glove with a blade attached and his other hand held a police baton. Rachel's eyes lit up and she smiled with much gusto.
"I'll take both."
Finn's surprised expression told her everything she needed to know. Rachel beckoned Finn to walk over closer to her with a hand wave.
"Get ready for a girl smack down."
Underground Brotherhood of Steel bunker
Some kilometers east of Novac
Santana sat at one of the two desks in the small main room of the group's command post. The other desk was for Elder Bieste to use when she visited the complex. It was the Latina girl's turn to make the long walk from Wolf horn Ranch, their place of residence as far as the outside world was concerned. Before she typed up her report and emailed it back to the main HQ at Hidden Valley Santana needed to check in with her brother.
She looked down at her PipBoy attached above her left wrist and called up the overhead map of the surrounding Mojave area. Santana activated the active radar scan homing mode and watched as two red blips appeared, one in Novac and the other some distance southeast of the trading town. The second blip had been in that same area since daybreak. Santana put on her headset with microphone and plugged it into a portable walkie talkie. Once the device was powered up she keyed the send button.
"Status report. The subject has been stationary for awhile. What's she doing?"
Puck's slightly distorted but amused voice spoke with a audible crackle into her ear buds.
"Good thing she needed that injection shot at the New Vegas clinic. Hey, what about how I'm doing? It's getting hot out here."
"Can the dramatics and keep focused. You have water and rations, use them."
"Like I don't know that. You can it."
Santana covered her microphone with one hand and let out a frustrated yell into the stillness of the room. Her dark eyes flashed with annoyance but she forced down her irritation and calmed down.
"I'm still waiting on your sit rep. Describe the target's behavior and status."
"Sure thing Control, but I'm making an official complaint to your face when I get back. Lack of respect being tops on my list."
"Noted, now do I have to go out and kick your butt or what? I can complain to the elder too."
"All right, one male subject is teaching the target to shoot. Wait, they seem to be finished. Hang on a minute."
"Now what?"
"Oh cool, they're going to fight hand to hand now. This should be good."
"Operative 1, observe the target's fighting skills and responses but do not approach or let them see you. She has to seek us out, but if that does not happen soon then we'll make contact again."
"Copy Control, I'll report back in later. Out."
Santana flipped her communication device's power switch off and placed her headset on the desk counter. She stood up and walked over to an uncluttered place on the bare floor. It was time for her mid morning routine of sit-ups and pushups then a protein bar, salad and water lunch break.
Meanwhile a solitary male kid continued to watch Rachel and an unknown male move around each other as they swung melee weapons though the air. His desert camouflage outfit blended in with the surrounding vegetation and rocky terrain perfectly. Puck raised his binoculars back to his eyes and sighted in on the distant pair to the west of his position.
Finn held his baseball bat like a staff and swung the grip end towards Rachel's midsection. She blocked it with the baton in her right hand, then brought her gauntlet glove on her left hand for a punch to the shoulder. The sharp blade had been removed for safety reasons. Finn was glad he insisted on wearing their full protective gear and jackets as Finn felt Rachel's blow glance off his body while he stepped backwards at the last second. Rachel used their expanded space between them to run over and climb up on a nearby small boulder. Her feet were about the same level as Finn's upper chest. He smiled and walked closer to her position.
"Had enough yet Rachel? You're doing well but I know you're getting tired. Get down from there and prepare to lose."
Rachel smiled at her partner and shook her head.
"Give me a hand down would you? Thanks."
Finn reached up to grab her hand but Rachel straightened up from her crouched position and leaped. She somersaulted over Finn's head and landed lightly behind him. Rachel used just enough force with her baton to hit her partner behind his legs to knock him to his knees. The dark haired girl turned sideways and casually kicked the off balance Finn in the back to send him sprawling to the ground. He turned over just in time to grab the end of her baton as she pocked him in the chest while kneeling over the prone boy.
"Too much talking Finn, I win. Never underestimate your opponent. That's my lesson to you. Now, where are my treats?"
It took a moment for Finn to recover and find his voice.
"Why didn't you tell me you've had training? I wanted to go easy on you but I see my error in thinking. You've taught me some humility today. What else are you hiding?"
"Don't you like a girl with some mystery? Oh, you never asked, but I'll be glad to help you fill in the blanks. You have to share too, it's only fair. Now bring on the sweets."
"Great idea Rachel, let's break for lunch."
Rachel clapped her hands and fastened her baton to her belt. She looked at Finn then raised an eyebrow in concern. He shook his head but smiled back at her.
"Aren't you going to help your victim up? I'll even cook for you Rachel."
Rachel let out a shriek of joy and reached down her hand.
"Thanks Finn, you're the best."
"I'm happy you feel that way. You're very cool too. I'm so glad we're not enemies."
The two sweaty but happy kids walked back under the shade to gather their supplies. Finn put some small twigs and a few scraps of paper in the campfire to start with. He added some small branches and struck a match against one of the nearby bricks. A small but intense hot blaze was soon going. Finn put a metal grill over the supporting bricks and started heating up some water in a pot. He added the macaroni and cheese mix and some crsipy squirrel bits, stirring every so often. Some bread on the side made the meal more satisfying. Purified water and some warm soda for drinks, and Finn gave Rachel more snack cakes and donuts while she shared more of her trail mix.
East of their position Puck crawled back out of their sight and dropped to the ground from his perch on a raised part of scrubland. He kneeled down while putting his binoculars away in his pack. The boy looked around while scanning the area for threats and muttered under his breath.
"Santana is going to freak when I tell her what happened."
Puck pulled out his walkie talkie and spoke into it.
"I'm heading back now. You need to hear this in person. Save me a protein bar, I'm starving."
The Prospector's Den
Some kilometers west of Novac and a short distance from Primm
Finn and Rachel climbed to the top of the hill and were relieved to find the land leveling out. A big rocky slab rose up on their right side dominating the nearby landscape. They had followed the rail line tracks from the southern edge of Primm up the sloping ground. A metal door was set into the side of the rock wall, guarded by two girls in tribal outfits. The two partners neared the end of the small line of people waiting to go inside. A girl with long brown hair was talking to the guards.
"Bless you fellow sisters of the Wasteland. I bring greetings from the Followers. We must learn to coexist with all people and have a purposeful life."
The dark haired Asian girl stared at the talkative girl with dismay.
"I've heard your speech before Sugar, just shut up and go peddle your stuff inside all right? Move it."
The other blond tribal girl grinned at the flustered visitor.
"I'd like to coexist your personal space and give you a purpose in private, if you get my meaning."
Sugar looked back at the smiling blond.
"Any time Britt, I'd love to talk."
Sugar walked towards the metal door while Brittany rolled her eyes in irritation.
"How dense can she be? I want to get my mack on with her. Now I'm sad again."
"Cheer up Britt, it's her loss. What a clueless little twit. I hope she doesn't sell anything."
"Why are you talking mean about her? Are you jealous?"
"What? Uh, no. No I'm not. Wait, would you be happy if I said yes? I'll do some coexisting with you okay? I really like you Britt."
"You're sweet Tina, I'll think about it."
The rejected and angry Asian girl turned to look at Finn and Rachel as they stood a few paces away.
"State your business. Hey, what's your hurry girl?"
Tina moved to block Rachel's progress and raised her spear.
"No one goes in without our okay. You picked the wrong time to visit honey; I'm having a bad day."
Rachel worked hard to control her emotions but she felt like it was a losing battle.
"First, I'm not your honey. Second, if you don't get that spear out of my face and move you'll be sorry."
Finn started backing away a few paces looking very concerned.
"Just remember later that she warned you first. We come in peace."
Rachel glanced quickly at Finn and gave him an eye wink.
"Finn, let me handle this."
She turned back to look at Tina.
"I asked you once to move but you're still here. You don't want to give me a bad day."
Tina laughed and tightened her grip on the spear.
"You want to mess with a Great Khan? I'm going to knock that smirk off your face girl."
"Well, I'm waiting. Bring it."
Any reviews, comments or suggestions welcome. It's looking like girlfight time.