So everyone finally updated Bittersweet, hope you guys like it. Also, Lupa how is it being together with me again? That's right i'm back with that amazing girl again everyone. :D
James finished packing all of his necessary supplies for the trip he would make for the Followers as a caravan guard. He didn't have to do much packing at all though since most of what he was taking he had simply set beside his bed the day before. James finished his quick overview of his loadout by slinging his rifle over his shoulder. Walking out of the tent he immediately scanned the area for Julie. She was a woman who wasn't hard to find within the scarcely occupied area within the fort.
"Julie I'm ready, how about everyone else in the caravan?" James asked as he reached Julie.
"Honestly they were going to wait for you, but since you're already ready I guess that we can send the caravan on its way already. They're waiting just outside of the gate, just go meet up with them and you can get going." Julie said pointing towards the large wooden gate of the fort.
James nodded and walked off.
As James stepped out into Freeside he noticed his new travel companions. Two mercs and two Followers. James looked down at the ever silent Rufus. Rufus turned his head quizzically at James. James reached his hand out for Rufus to put his paw in. Rufus put his paw into James' hand and was promptly petted.
"Good boy, these guys are friends, so protect them like me, okay?" James said to Rufus.
Rufus whuffed.
"Smart dog." One of the mercs said.
"You have no idea." James said back to the merc "Watch this. Rufus, ammo."
Rufus trotted over to one of the mercs and lightly sniffed the air near him the promptly pawed at a pocket of the mercs pants.
"How in the hell did you teach your dog to find ammo like that?" The merc who had the location of his ammo reveled asked.
"I didn't I just said I needed ammo one day a while back and he brought me my pack." James said "This dog is smarter than some people if you ask me."
"I'm glad to have him with us then." said one of the Followers in the caravan.
"Enough talk for now, shall we get going?" James asked.
The first merc walked forward as a signal to the rest of the caravan.
The wasteland seemed too calm today, almost as if it was empty or just not threatening. James felt uncomfortable with this realization. Nevertheless he continued on walking just behind the first merc without hesitation. James thought back trying to recall the weapons that the caravan had; one grenade rifle with upwards of nine rounds, a 10mm submachine gun with an unknown amount of spare clips along with two laser pistols carried by the Followers. James found this to be adequate for any engagement that could be typical within this area of the Mojave.
Rather uneventfully the caravan proceeded towards the Followers outpost which was located near Camp Golf an NCR camp. Going by roads was a slower moving way to get the caravan to the destination but was much safer than braving the true Mojave. The way to the outpost was basically a straight shot from Freeside due to the road only having slight curves to it. James knew the relative area of the outpost having passed by the area just a day before heading the opposite way as he currently was.
After about a half an hour of slowly walking with the rest of the caravan James could see the outpost which was a guard tower like structure located inside of an abandoned train station. The two Followers in the caravan walked up into the outpost as the caravan arrived. James and the other two mercenaries were left below with time to idly chat as they waited to make the return trip.
"So more about that dog, what's its name?" The merc who was wearing metal armor and had originally addressed Rufus' intelligence asked.
"Rufus." James said "Rufus go get acquainted while we aren't busy okay boy?" James said first addressing the question the Rufus.
Rufus walked over to the merc wearing the heavy metal armor and pawed at his leg lightly waiting for the man to put his hand out for him to shake.
"He wants you to shake it." James said as he motioned his had out flat with palm up.
The merc gingerly shook the dog's paw.
Rufus then went to the next merc wearing a black shirt and cargo pants and did the same action as with the previous merc.
"He's gotten friendlier lately; normally he would just walk up and sniff you." James said as he pulled out a couple of round headed brushes.
"Is that so?" The second merc asked.
"Yeah, he got that way after I met that woman I'm traveling with." James said now pulling out Hail Storm.
"The one in the brown hooded outfit?" The first merc asked.
"No, that's Veronica; Ashlyn the shorter one in combat armor is the one I'm talking about." James responded emptying Hail Storm with practiced movements.
"You hit that yet?" The first merc asked gruffly.
James gaze shot directly into the mercs eyes.
James' piercing gaze was locked on the mercs eyes. Despite James' lower position to the merc due to James sitting in the process of cleaning Hail Storm, his gaze was still just as threatening as ever. The merc blankly stared back regretting his previous question. James stood up leaving Hail Storm lying on a cloth on the ground. He walked directly up to the merc and stared him down.
"No, and I would suggest not making anymore mentioning of any sexual topics involving her, do you understand?" James said with venom in his voice angered by the mercs disrespectful question pertaining to Ashlyn, his love.
James went back to his cleaning.
Finally speaking up the merc said "I understand, you protective of all women or just her? Right there you were a hell of a lot fucking scarier than some of the deadliest mercs I've ever met."
"Just her." James said monotone, more focused on cleaning Hail Storm's barrel with the more course brush.
"She something special to you then or are you being paid to protect her?" The merc asked.
"If he's being paid to protect her it must be a hell of a lot if he reacts like that." The second merc said having stayed quiet most of the conversation.
"She's special to me." James said a smile lightly playing at the corners of his mouth as he used his finer brush to clean the barrel more finely.
"Where did you meet her?" The second merc asked.
"Novac." James said looking up finally.
The second merc was slightly younger than James and kind of scrawny.
"You're an NCR deserter aren't you?" The first merc asked.
"Yeah, you could say that, the chest piece gave it away. Truth is I deserted to help her. I was a damn good ranger too." James said looking back to Hail Storm using just the fine brush to clean the cylinder of the revolver.
"A ranger? Only veterans wear that chest piece." The first merc said "Only the veterans right?"
"Yes, just the veteran rangers, I was one of the five vets here in the Mojave." James said.
"How old are you?" asked the merc, he himself being in his mid to late thirties by James' guess.
"Twenty-three." James said reloading Hail Storm.
"You have got to be lying, any vet I've heard of was in there thirties at least." the merc stated.
"I'm not lying; I'm just damn good at what I do." James said holstering Hail Storm and setting his rifle down on the ground where the cloth that was used to lightly polish up Hail Storm had been.
"Prove how good you are, I've gotta see what you can do." The first merc said.
"Throw one cap into the air towards the sun." James said.
The mercs blankly stared towards James.
"Come on, you wanted to see what I can do, now throw the cap towards the sun." James said.
The first merc pulled out one bottle cap and tossed it in the air in the direction of the sun. James pulled out Hail Storm in the blink of an eye and waited for the cap to reach the its height and fired one round. Rufus rose from the ground next to James and walked over to where the now useless piece of currency lay and picked it up in his teeth. Rufus walked to the merc who threw the cap and upon seeing the merc put his hand out he deposited the cap in his hand.
"Shot clean through the center isn't it?" James asked unloading the spent round and replacing it.
"Just what are you?" Both mercs asked.
"I'm a man stupid enough to desert the Rangers, nothing more, nothing less." James stated.
The two mercs looked at each other.
"My name is Mack." said the first merc.
"Josh." said the second.
"It's nice to finally get acquainted with you, Mack and Josh." James said having already re-holstered Hail Storm and deftly field stripping his rifle.
Josh and Mack decided to idly talk to each other rather than interrupt James as to allow him to clean his weapons. James quickly and thoroughly cleaned his rifle then reassembled it. James next pulled out his combat knife and a whet stone. James dutifully went to sharpening the knife just as he had been taught as a child. Once James was satisfied with its sharpness he polished up the blade with the fine brush.
Much to their surprise Mack and Josh heard a loud thump against some wood. They looked over towards the sound. They found the source of the noise, a combat knife deeply imbedded inside of one of the support beams of the outpost. They looked at James again with astonishment; he was still sitting down at this point about ten feet from the aforementioned support beam. .
"Well seems like its sharp still." James said with a slight grunt as he yanked the knife out of the wood with a large amount of force.
"I think that we can all agree that fucking with you would be a bad idea at this point." Mack said.
"You're probably right." Josh said as to agree with Mack.
Just as the mercs finished these remarks the two Followers walked down the walkway up to the outpost. With only a few words exchanged the caravan began to walk back to Freeside now slightly heavier carrying papers and a few more medical supplies for the fort. The Mojave was still to calm for James to be comfortable with at this point. The caravan walked towards Freeside at the same pace as before.
James finally began to lose his composure as the caravan was getting into the more populated area close to Freeside. James knew that they were close to a water pumping station. A terrible smell assaulted his nostrils. He knew what had to be done.
"Mack, grenade rifle and rounds now." James said demandingly.
"Why?" Mack asked dumbfounded by such a request.
"Deathclaw." James said.
"Oh fuck." Mack slowed his pace and handed James the grenade rifle "What should we do?"
"Shut up and run!" James yelled as he took the rifle turning and firing at the massive beast charging towards the caravan "Rufus you too, go!"
James standing alone watched his round impact the ground just in front of the Deathclaw. He reloaded and fired again. James' round directly hit the Deathclaw's leg but it just kept coming. James fired one last round knowing he couldn't safely fire another round after this. Again the round struck the Deathclaw, again it did nothing.
James wondered if he was about to finally die.
James un-slung his rifle and fired away. He aimed for the beast's eyes; they were just as soft and vulnerable as a human's. The rounds directly struck the Deathclaw's eyes and it recoiled in pain. James knew this would only buy him time to try to run or attack. The Deathclaw was only ten feet from him at this point.
Dun, Dun, Dun...