The VTOLbird was around halfway through Arizona when the pilot activated the stealth field. The vertibirds that were sent before me weren't upgraded with the stealth field, that may have been one of the reasons why they were shot down. Sending the only VTOLbird into enemy territory probably wasn't the best idea but it was the only and the fastest way.
Of course the stealth shields only made us visually invisible, bending light rays and waves around us to appear invisible. It didn't mean that we were silent, you could hear us from at least 10 miles away and could most likely see a big shadow go over the ground but if you looked up the sun would block most of the visuals on us. And that we're virtually invisible helps with the whole problem with being killed we had before.
I expected the trip to take longer but I guess you can go pretty fast in a VTOLbird that has been upgraded with alien tech. We made the trip in just over three days, pretty good considering the time we spent refueling halfway and when we stopped outside a city to resupply food that was eaten when Dogmeat got into the rations bin.
Because we didn't know where the Brotherhood was hiding or where the exact location of HELIOS One was, the pilot didn't know where to land. We flew over a smattering of red tents, what looked like a large green statue with teeth, and to the north I saw a mountain with a huge satellite dish on top. According to the reports, this should be around where the Brotherhood was last seen. He kept flying until I saw a town with a roller coaster and saw flashes of light from what could only be gunshots and explosions lighting up the night.
Just past it we spotted a town, and I was ready to get out of the cramped aircraft so I told the pilot to set me down on the hill behind the town. You don't want to scare the folks living there by landing a UFO on their front lawns.
"Affirmative. Prepare for landing." He set us down gently and smoothly. Allowing Dogmeat and I to get off before he set off back east.
"Well, here we are." I muttered to Dogmeat, who just tilted his head and whined.
"Alright, well let's go down and rent a room at a hotel or something. No point in trying to search for the Brotherhood at 10:30 at night." At this point I was talking more to myself than Dogmeat who had decided to wander down the hill to chase after a giant mantis nymph that evaded his attacks and scurried under a house.
I made my way to the town and spotted a building called the Prospector Saloon, seemed like the place to go to for directions. If anything there was someone who could help me in there.
I entered and Dogmeat immediately became nose to nose with another dog. I'd never had this problem before so I didn't know if Dogmeat would attack or play, or if this new dog would attack or play.
Much to my relief they both started sniffing each other and wagging their tales.
"Hey, I'm Sunny Smiles, and it looks like you already met Cheyenne."
Looking away from the dogs, and at the woman who had walked over and started talking to me, I noticed she had leather armor and a kind smile. She appeared to be the owner of the other dog, whose name was Cheyenne.
"Hi, I'm Hope and that's Dogmeat. Um, do you know where I could rent a room for the night or buy food?"
"Say no more, talk to Trudy, she runs the bar. She's the town mom and would want to meet you anyways. She's just around the corner."
I thanked her and went in search of the bar owner and came across a lady, who was probably mid 40s and fit the title 'town mom' perfectly.
She started talking before I could sit my whole ass down on the stool.
"If you're here to start trouble get out now I don't need anymore asses making a mess of my bar."
She must have seen the look of surprise and innocence on my face, being showcased perfectly with my eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Her face softened and she smiled at me.
"Sorry, there was a group of guys in here a few days ago and they trashed my bar, breaking my radio and breaking bottles, made a huge mess."
"Uh, I just wanted to know if I could rent a room..."
"Of course sweetie. That'll be 50 caps for the room, it's the one just behind the saloon. It's yours for as long as need it."
I thanked her, gave her the caps, took the key and quickly left out the back door. It was difficult to see but I found the room, it was more of a empty house with two beds and a dresser so I chose a bed, flopped in it and slept until the sun was in the sky.
I woke around nine, must have forgotten to set my alarm. Oh well, at least I woke up at an acceptable time for breakfast so off I went to the saloon. I changed into my civilian clothes, shorts, combat boots and a plaid shirt and tank top before I left because I don't want my first impression on the citizens of this town to be one of me in wrinkly flight jumpsuit.
I opened the backdoor to the saloon and found Trudy cleaning the bar with a rag and she looked up when I sat on a bar stool across from her.
"Oh you startled me, I didn't hear you come in" I muttered an apology, I was infamous in the vault because of that. Ever since I was a child I was really good at sneaking behind people and scaring them. "Well anyway, good morning. How was the room? Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock. Do you have any thing I could eat for breakfast?"
"One order of sugar bombs coming up." She bent down behind the bar and grabbed a package and a bowl and placed them in front of me. I gave her the caps and started eating my cereal. Interrupted only by Dogmeats whine, signaling his hunger. Trudy must have noticed too because she grabbed another bowl and put some dog food in it. I was getting more caps out when she stopped me.
"Don't worry about it. It's Cheyenne's food and I don't think Sunny'll mind."
I thanked her again and finished up my cereal. I really didn't know where to start on my quest to find the Brotherhood so I decided to stick around this town for a few days or so to gather information and help out. After years of experience I've learned that people are more willing to talk if your help them first, or if your words drip with honey.
"Does anyone need any help around town? I'm sticking around for a bit and might as well make myself useful." I added a small, innocent smile at the end, it was the same smile I've used since a child to hide lying about my motives.
Trudy looked at me like I had a mutated head growing out of my shoulder. "Well that's awfully kind of you dearie, I think Karen down the road might need help farming, her son just left to join the NCR." Right the NCR, they were the enemies that I was informed about.
"What can you tell me about the NCR?"
"The New California Republic's got the most power in Nevada. Money, troops, you name it. They do what they can to keep things safe in the region, but if you ask me, they're trying to do too much. They're spread too thin."
It was clear she didn't know much more than I did and we continued a conversation, mostly just me asking questions about the area and wildlife and her providing some answers. They weren't the best answers, it was clear she didn't leave town often.
After a few minutes more of that I look my leave, passing Sunny on the way out, and went looking for the farmer to help. I haven't done much farming but I'll try my best. I saw a lady hunched over a row of plants and walked over to offer help. She accepted most gratefully and showed me what to do. While we worked I asked her questions about the NCR and Legion, her answers were not helpful but were better than nothing. Together we made short work of her crops and she offered me an early lunch, which I gratefully accepted.
It was around 11:45am when I left, I asked her if there was anywhere I could bye medical supplies around town and she pointed me to the house on the hill. She said a man named Doc Mitchell was their doctor. I was going to buy some bandages and stimpacks for my traveling. In my hurry to grab all the weapons I could carry from Megaton I completely forgot to grab them and after talking to Trudy about the wildlife I figured i was going to need them.
I knocked on the door and after a few minutes of no answer, I told Dogmeat to stay outside and I walked in. I walked further into the dimly lit house and turned right into a big room that looked like a makeshift medical bay, where there was an old man sitting on a chair and a very handsome and very shirtless man, who looked young but seasoned, sitting on a bed. The old man, presumably Doc Mitchell, turned and looked at me.
"Sorry, I knocked and didn't know if you heard so I sorta walked in, I'm sorry. I can wait outside until your done." I was proud of myself. I only sounded slightly embarrassed and not super embarrassed like I felt, and I don't think they could have seen the rising red blush on my cheeks in the dim light.
"No, it's alright. Why don't cha sit in the living room while I finished up in 'ere."
His calm tone made me calm down and I walked the rest of the way into his house and sat in a chair beside the bookshelf. I found myself a really old book called "Sea Wolf" by Jack London and started reading while I waited.
A few minutes later Mitchell and the other man walked in and sat on the couch and the chair opposite it. The man had a shirt on now and loose fitting sweatpants. Now that there was more light I could see his face better and my first thought was more than correct. He had brown eyes, a tan that was from the Mojave sun, freckles spotting his nose and cheeks, dark hair that curled around his temples and his face had only a faint 5 o'clock shadow that emphasized his square chin. Over all he was hot. The T-shirt he wore showed off his biceps that were muscular and tanned. I almost didn't hear the Doc talking to me while I ogled the man, who I just realize was looking at me the same way I as looking at him.
"-just gonna finish up with Six here and then I'll help ya"
I nodded and quickly looked back at the book but it was a lousy distraction because when I heard the man talk I pulled my eyes up to look at him again. Man, this is not good. I'm acting like a star struck schoolgirl and I need to pull myself together. I focused my attention back on the book until they both got up and walked towards the door. I heard them talking and Michelle gave him a large bag of stuff, then the man went into the bathroom and changed. After the front door opened and closed, Mitchell came back in and sat beside me in his chair.
"So, whaddaya need?"