Author's notes: I want to thank all the readers being patient with me and I'm very happy to know you my liked stories so far. I'll continue work hard and I hope you'll keep enjoying my stories.

Chapter 6

Our wandering heroes kept walking towards Hope, along with the company of their new friend Christopher Alphonse Holloway. "Enjoying your new weapon?" said Christopher to James who was admiring the anti-materiel rifle. "I'll admit, I'm a little surprised that a religious person like you is in possession of such hardware." replied James.

"Such is The Way of the Canaanite my child. While we seek peace, we're also willing to fight when the time arises." said Christopher.

Ben said to him. "I haven't heard anything from Utah for a while. What's going on in New Canaan?" Christopher was unusually silent for a bit and a sad expression formed in his face. "Dark times has fallen to my brothers and sisters. I wish not to speak of it." James said to him. "I'm sorry to hear that, if it helps at all." Christopher thanked him and they continued their journey. After hours of walking, a settlement started to appear and that's when Cody said. "We're here!" Jenny looked in the horizon and she hugged Cody in relieve while Ben sighed who just happy to finally rest. They picked up the pace and in matter of minutes they arrived to Hope. As they went in, few of the locals greeted Jenny, Cody and Ben while some of them also wondered about James and Sarah.

James looked around and saw that the place was similar to DC. Shacks that have been build by hand with some of the actual houses still standing and area in general was bleak and grey. So he felt right at home. At a distance, a woman's voice was heard "Cody? Jenny?" They turned to the direction where the voice came and Jenny said. "Look out, here comes mom." James and Sarah saw a woman with red hair carrying a large golden gecko over her shoulders and wore leather armor that was reinforced with some metal plates. She dropped the dead gecko and ran towards Jenny and Cody. She grabbed both of them in her arms and swinged them around while crying joyfully. She then put them down, slapped both of them, grabbed from their ears and spoke to them with slightly heavier southern accent. "Ya lil' runts! Do ya know how worried me and your pa were when you decided to escape like that!" she then turned her attention to Ben. "And I should skin you alive when you took them with you but since you brought them back in one piece, I'll let you off. For now." she then spoke to Jenny and Cody. "As for you two, no gecko kebab for a week."

"Mom!" said the two in unison and the woman said. "Want me to make it three?" they went silent and she let them go and hugged them. "I'm sorry. While I'm a lil' mad about you two, but know that I'm happy to see you alive and well." Jenny and Cody then proceeded to hug her as well. "Looks like they completely forgotten about us." said Sarah. "Can you blame a mother who's been worried sick about her children?" replied James. Christopher prayed. "Oh Lord who art in heaven. I thank you for guiding these young souls to their own maker and granting them safe passage in a form of a angelic guardian and shining armor. Amen." Ben joined the conversation. "While she may use a heavy hand on them, she loves her family dearly. God help anyone who tries to get in her way."

Suddenly a farmer shouted at the top of his lungs. "BIGHORNER BULL ON THE LOOSE!." and the locals began to go into their homes and anywhere where is safe. Not long after the warning, a very large bighorner came out of a corner and rammed at the farmer, sending him flying through a window. It then turned it's attention to James and the others. "Shit, quickly inside!" said the red haired woman and while she, Ben, Cody, Jenny, and Christopher were ready to hide, Sarah and James just stood calmly. "What ya'll doing? Get moving!"

"Dead or alive?" asked James. "What?" asked the woman and James turned his head to her direction. "The bighorner. Dead or alive?" Jenny said to him. "We need him alive!" James smiled and nodded and then asked Sarah. "Do you want a go?" Sarah shaked her head. "No thanks, I'd most likely kill it by accident. You're better suited for that." James nodded once more and began to approach the bighorner. "Is he god damn crazy? said Ben in shock. "Maybe." said Sarah. "But sometimes crazy is the best way to go." James continued approaching the bighorner who was stomping the ground and bellowed at him as if trying to warn James not too get close. James stopped and said to it. "I never seen your kind before. Always something new." it continued to bellow at him and started to look like it getting ready to charge. James cracked his neck. "You're a noisy one aren't you?" the locals were watching through the windows, door openings, and around corners, wondering how this will end. The bighorner let off one last roar and began to charge towards James. As the bull kept getting closer, the locals were getting more nervous and some even prayed for his safety. When the bull got close enough, James grabbed it's horns, pushing against it. James flexed his leg muscles to add more force against the bull, leaving drag marks on the ground as a result. The bull finally stopped and started to struggle, trying to get free. "Calm down already!" shouted James and tossed the bighorner to the side with great ease.

Everyone, except Sarah, were amazed. The same creature that easily send a grown man flying like it was a ragdoll, while he tossed the bull aside like it was a leaf. The bull rose up and looked like it was ready to attack again. James stared at the creature and firmly said. "Enough." a silent minute passed and the bighorner turned docile and lied down. The locals stared in amazement as they came out one by one. Jenny remembered the farmer that went through the window and went to an shack that had a sign that said Medical Clinic and instructed two men. "You two! Grab a stretcher and follow me." they went inside the clinic and came out with a stretcher and Jenny carrying a doctor's bag and went for the farmer. After Jenny was done inspecting the farmer, the two men put him on the stretcher and carried him to the clinic. They were stopped by he red haired woman and asked the farmer. "What the hell made that bighorner go nuts, Horace?" he coughed and said. "A rat bit him and I guess it freaked out from that."

"Mom, he's lucky to be alive and he needs serious treatment right now." said Jenny to the woman and she gave the okay.

"Takes after her own pa, god bless her heart." sighed the woman and James approached her. "I believe we haven't been introduced yet. My name is James."

She looked at him and said. "Ah yes, we haven't stranger. Name's Mary, hunter and owner of a local food joint here in Hope." she looked at Sarah. "Who's the blondie in fancy armor?"

James replied. "Her name is Sarah. She's from Brotherhood of Steel in Capital Wasteland." Cody jumped in and told Mary. "Mom, this is the guy that woman Madison talked about." Mary looked surprised. "Really? So this the guy she went on about when she arrived?" Cody continued. "Yeah, and me, Jenny and Ben get to see him action too! He's the real deal."

James cut in. "Sorry if I'm being rude, but I need to know about Madison. Is she alive? If yes then please tell me where she is." Mary looked James in the eye. "Boy, you look like you would tear the world apart if you had to, so I'm not gonna hold it from you. She's alive and well, so don't worry about that." James' listened keenly. "What you should be worried about how you'll get her out without her gettin' killed. She's inside the Institute. While it is a pretty safe place but right now she's technically trapped since that Khan Queen placed all kinds of patrols to surround the place. Currently they're just fine and dandy, but she makes sure they get no contact to outside which means no caravans or our delivery boys to bring them food. Let me tell you, them eggheads aren't good at growing anything despite their fancy equipment." Ben suggested to continue somewhere more comfortable and Mary offered her food place for them to use.

Sarah called for Christopher. "Chris, you coming?" The merchant replied. "While a warm, fresh meal done with care and love attracts me, there are those around me who are in need of supplies and spiritual guidance. I will be fine." Cody then said. "If you don't mind mom, I'll be helping Jenny at the clinic." Mary agreed and Cody went to the clinic.

After walking to a more open area, Sarah and James saw many fields and brahmin pens all over the area and the farmers who were taking care of them. "Wow." said Sarah and James looked quietly of the farms that were growing plants that he never saw before. "Impressive isn't it?" said Ben to them. "This exactly what I tried to tell to the Brotherhood. We shouldn't focus on weapons and armor alone, but also focus on tech like this and hand it to those who need it." Mary then said. "It ain't Mojave, but it's nice enough." James then said to her. "You're not from here?"

"Nope." said Mary. "I used to live in Mojave wasteland but I decided go see the world and left. That's when I met Randy."

"Who's Randy?" asked Sarah.

Mary replied. "He's a scientist, and my hubby, at the Institute. Like Madison, he's stuck there as well. He may not talk much but he's a good hubby and a good pa."

Ben whispered to Sarah and James. "If you ask me, or anyone else here, she just talks a lot, not giving him much room to speak." they finally arrived at an old restaurant building with a sign above that simply said Mary's. The building itself was in surprisingly good condition and the interior was very roomy, along with a working jukebox. Some of the locals were inside eating and greeted Mary and Ben. James said. "Is it possible to get some food? I'm staring feel a little hungry."

Mary replied. "After that stunt you pulled off with the bull? I'd say you earned it alright. Just let me get to the kitchen to put on something more appropriate."

"I've been meaning ask that by the way." said Ben. "Where the hell did you that strength? Because it certainly wasn't human."

James explained. "A few years back, I bumped into a scientist who was working on making the ants small like they were before the war. He made a small, but deadly miscalculation that made the ants breathe fire. After I cleared the mess, he offered me human safe genetic enhancers based on ant DNA. One would give better sight and the other more strength. I figured that since ants can lift 20 times their own weight, I might possibly do the same if I took Ant might. So I took it and I've had the strength of an ant since then."

"Guess I'll need to resist the urge shake your hand then?" joked Ben. "Don't worry, I got it well in control. Mostly anyways. Sometimes I break a glass by accident." when that was settled, Mary went to the kitchen and Ben said. "Hope you don't mind if I bring Sarah to my place for briefing?" James shaked his head. "If Sarah doesn't mind then I don't either." Sarah nodded in agreement and Ben then told James where his home is and went with Sarah. James took a seat, and like clock work, Mary came to him wearing wasteland wanderer outfit and asked. "So what'll be, boy?"

James thought for moment and said. "I'm curious of the the gecko kebab you mentioned."

a confident look came into her face. "So you're interested in my specialty, huh? Wait right here, I promise you it'll be the best thing you ever tasted." she went back to the kitchen and got to work. While James was waiting, he heard some the locals were talking about how he handled the bull a while ago and how impressed they were. An hour later, Mary appeared carrying a dinner plate and walked next to James and placed the plate in front of him. "Gecko kebab, my specialty. Well cooked gecko meat, accompanied by a banana yucca to give a sweet after taste and jalapeño that mix nicely with the meat." the ingredients were put on a thin stick and James slightly licked his upper lip as the smell was very enticing to him.

"I put two of them since ya look like a big eater." said Mary. "Normally I'd charge 8 caps but since you..." James put 8 bottle caps the table and said. "I'm just a customer like anybody else." Mary took the caps, wished him a good appetite and went back to work. James picked one of the sticks and took a bite where the banana yucca, jalapeño and gecko meat were lined together and he made sure he'd savor the taste. Suddenly five Khans bursted through the door while one of them shouted. "Everybody out! We have business with the whitey!" the locals quickly went outside in fear, leaving the place empty. James was so into eating the food he didn't noticed the commotion. The Khans surrounded him and one of them said to him. "The Queen demands your presence." James continued eating like nothing was happening. "Looks like he's too busy eating." said one the Khans. "Quite a lot of nerve this guy has." said another Khan. The Khan that spoke to James slammed his hand on the table, bringing James to his senses. "Is there something wrong?" he asked after noticing the men around him. "Queen wants to see you. Now." said the Khan loudly. James glanced at his plate. "Can I least finish eating?" the Khan took the plate and threw it to the floor. "You're done now." others started laughed while James had an annoyed look on his face.

"Food's a terrible thing to waste, you know?" said James in serious voice.

"Who gives a shit?" said the Khan "The Queen is waiting for you and she doesn't like to wait. Especially when she demands someone to see her."

James finished the kebab he had in his hand and asked. "What happens if I refuse?"

The Khans looked at each other in shock. "What happens?" said the Khan. "You'll piss her off, then she'll hunt you down, and finally she'll execute you as an example."

James lifted his shoulders and said. "I think can live with that." at this point, they got angry and two of them grabbed him by the arms. James threw one Khan through the window and slammed the other through the table. Third Khan jumped on his back and attempted to stab him but James managed to grab his hand. James twisted the Khans wrist, making him drop his knife and James then grabbed his head and threw him against a wall. James turned to his left and was punched by the fourth Khan, but for the Khan, his hand started to hurt like he punched a concrete wall. James didn't even flinch from the punch and he pointed his chin. "Try here." the Khan was slightly baffled but finally did a uppercut to James' chin. The Khan's hand got hurt once more and James' head went slightly upward and began to approach the Khan. "Oh no. Oh no no no." said the Khan nervously to James and James gave him straight punch to the gut which send him flying through the door and turned his attention to the last Khan. He pulled out his makeshift machete and charged at him and James countered it by doing a spin-kick against him which caused him fly right towards the jukebox. 10 more Khans suddenly appeared through the door, ready to attack him. James turned around, smiled and said. "This should be fun."