Story moves on...
UPDATE! 06.09.2011 A major revision of the ending of this chapter, tidying it up and introducing an expected face.
NEW VEGAS BLUES
ROUND 2, STUCK IN THE STORM
Sandstorms have always been a wild card in Mojave, most of all because of the unpredictability of their coming. When they do come, nobody knows how will they last. Usually sandstorms are day long, give or take. But sometimes, they last longer, with some sandstorms spanning over several days.
Normally, lesser storms impede your line of sight and speed of travel, but greater ones can kill a man if he wanders out there without proper protection. Within an hour or two, man chokes to death because of all the sand and dust that enters his lungs.
It appears that this storm is one of bigger ones, at least that was what Vincent thought. They´ve been in this empty old bunker for nearly two days now. Alone, he could reach Goodsprings if he wanted to. But his companion wouldn´t be so lucky.
After they went off road, it became apparent that his new companion, who introduced herself as Emily when she stopped crying for a while, is hurt physically too. When they somehow managed to get to the hiding place, they looked over her left leg. She admitted that something hit her during that fight, but she didn´t pay any attention to it till then.
As far as Vincent could understand with his limited(even that is a stretch) medical expertise, her lower leg was fractured, if not even broken. He did his best to immobilize her leg and spare her the most of the pain with a shot of Med-X, but that won´t help her much. She needs a real doctor.
Sighing, he walked back into common room, where Emily was sitting by the fire. At least the bunker still had its emergency supplies, among them some stuff to burn, clean water and even some canned food.
´You´re awake.´ he said, sitting down by the wall. She slept almost the entire past day.
´Yes... were you outside?´ she asked, eyeing him. She looked a bit better.
´Aye...´ he replied, taking out and lighting a cigarette.
´Is it that bad?´
´It has lessened, but it will still be at least half a day till we can leave. You never know with storms like this one...´ he said as he blew some smoke away.
´I still think we could go now. I feel better.´ her voice certainly sounded confident enough.
´No, you look better.´ he told her sardonically. ´You´re still just as hurt as the first day. There´s a difference between the two.´
´Are you always so grumpy?´ she pouted.
´Just with people who act like they´re stronger than they are. If you push yourself, you will die. Out in that storm, with a busted leg, you would be a liability. You can hardly see five feet before you in that mess. Hiking to Goodsprings is out of question as it is and going back to the road can lead to another ambush. I´d rather not take my chances. ´ his voice mellowed out towards the end, so he sounded almost sympathetic to her.
´It´s not like I have a choice now, is it?´ Emily muttered, leaning back to the wall. Her leg hurt a little, but it was nothing unbearable as long as she remained still.
´No, I suppose not.´
´Why did you save me? Most people would just kill whoever survived and then loot the caravan. I am nothing to you, after all.´ she noticed how his eyes seemed a bit distant as she asked that question, as if he remembered something. Still, he replied with an even tone.
´I am not most people... I don´t need a reason to help someone.´ he said, merely enticing her curiosity.
´Kane, I find that rather hard to believe. Nobody acts like that without a reason, be it for their own personal gain or satisfaction. I doubt you´d have saved just anyone.´ that was generally how current world worked, at least in her opinion.
´She is right in that regard...´ however, he did not tell her that. ´Why do you care so much?´
´I wish to get to know my savior little better.´ she replied.
´Hardly anything interesting about me.´ he said in turn, turning his eyes towards her. ´I´d rather know how are you holding up? I mean...´
´Did I know any of those people? Was I close with them?´ she offered, sighing afterwards. ´Yes... I knew some of them. Donnel was a friend. You have his rifle now. Jonas too, one of the guards... he had the best jokes... Milly... Others on the other hand... I did not know so well. This was my first caravan run to Vegas... Can´t believe it turned out like this...´ sadly, no tears came. She cried for the most of the first day and was now left with just a hole in her heart. She had no more tears for anyone, be it the dead, Ringo or herself.
´What about Ringo?´ he kept her talking. He didn´t want to talk about himself.
´He is... my fiancée.´
´Ex-fiancée if I am any judge.´ Vincent said disdainfully. Who abandons their compatriots deserves nothing but scorn in his opinion.
´You have that look on your face again.´
´What look?´
´Whenever topic we speak of touches your own past, you look... ashamed.´
´Nothing but scorn for those that abandon their companions... that includes me.´ he thought, but kept his thoughts to himself. Instead, he replied with feigned cheerfulness, matching his expression to the tone. ´That so? Must be your imagination. So... what will you do if we find him in Goodsprings?´
´I will smack him. And then I´ll kiss him. I hope he survived...´ she said wistfully.
´That is stupid.´ he reasoned, unable to grasp her logic. ´If he abandoned you, why would you go back to him? To a coward like him?´
´So what if he ran away? If he had stayed, I´d have died. Besides... technically... he was dragged away.´ she said quietly, prompting him to look at her with an eyebrow raised.
´Do tell.´
´He was fixing some belts on one of the brahmin packs when they ambushed us. The animal freaked out and dashed off, dragging him along. I suppose his arm got stuck when one of the loops suddenly tightened.´ she explained. Vincent laughed coarsely, startling her.
´Then he isn´t a coward, he is merely incompetent! Such an improvement!´
´He is a good man who always looked after his own! Who always did his best! What would you know of him! You, a wanderer who owns nothing but his own life, with nobody depending on you... who needs no reasons to do anything! You protect someone and think yourself a worthy judge of others because you did one good deed!´ she leashed out, anger and frustration at her predicament pouring out. Unfortunately, she strained herself by moving too much, which resulted in a painful moan as she moved her injured leg. He reached into his pack and took out another syringe of Med-X, but she shook her head and pushed the drug away when he offered it.
Silence descended upon the room, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
´Sorry.´ he finally broke the silence. She did have a point, even if he was reluctant to admit it.
´Yeah... me too. It´s just... he worked so hard to get where he is... without anyone to support him till he met me and my folks. I feel bad that he lost it all like this.´
´Everyone has a bloody sob story.´ Vincent wasn´t interested in listening to another one, so he remained silent, taking out his Colt and checking it over, grateful for the fact that she didn´t continue.
After he was done with the gun, he moved on to the rifle.
It was in fairly good condition, a bolt action hunting rifle. Scratches, dents and duck taped butt spoke of quite a bit of usage, but at least it´s previous owner had decency to keep it in good shape. Vincent assumed that it is because it was a family heirloom, most rifles like this one are.
As he did his routine check, he didn´t notice that Emily was quietly watching him.
Vincent had his mind full of his own little questions. First of all, why did he even save this woman? It is just as she said, he didn´t have to. Most people wouldn´t. Most people would just move on, or if feeling brave, they would wait for an opportunity after the convicts are done with the woman to kill them and then steal the goods. It was the way the Wasteland works, even with so called progress that New Vegas and it´s ruler, Mr. House had brought. NCR and Legion weren´t much better, each trying to gain a real foothold in Nevada in its own way, be it by ´democracy´ or iron fist. Brotherhood of Steel that was here before was no better, he knew that better than most.
Secondly, what the hell is he supposed to do now? Take her to Goodsprings and just leave her there? If he does find that Ringo fellow there, he supposed it would be okay to do so. Emily loved the man and was willing to forgive him. But if Ringo isn´t there, will he just dump her there with the old Doc?
Vincent rubbed his temple, frustrated by the whole situation. Sandstorm wasn´t helping either. His job was to deliver a package to Doc, which he will do, albeit a bit later than he planned. That thought saddened him a bit. He always prided himself in his swift deliveries. Not once did he deliver something behind the schedule.
´He can always rebuild, right? Crimson Caravan is quite influential, after all.´ he broke the silence in the end, snapping her out her reverie.
´Yes, I suppose so.´ she agreed, after which she said. ´You´re a good man after all.´
´Where did that come from?´ he stopped what he was doing. The ´after all´ part stung a bit.
´You wouldn´t be here otherwise.´
´There is a sandstorm out there.´ he pointed out.
´You said it yourself, you could get to Goodsprings if you wanted to. I´m the problem.´ she concluded, taking a sip of the water afterwards.
´I´m not a good man.´ he told her sternly, looking at the small fire.
´You are in my eyes.´ Emily shrugged. ´How long have you been a courier?´
´Seven months, give or take.´
´And before?´ when she didn´t get an answer, she tilted her head a bit. ´In the army? With NCR? You killed those three easily, without any hesitation, like a proper soldier. Were you one of those famed snipers form the 1st Recon?´
´No, I was not NCR. And those three were focusing too much on you, otherwise it wouldn´t have been so easy.´ he replied in even tone.
´I doubt you were Legion. One of the Great Khans perhaps?´ she kept asking, her curiosity stronger than the notion that she shouldn´t be asking him such questions.
´No.´ his reply was shorter and quicker, without any emotion attached to his voice or his expression.
´Brotherhood of Steel?´
´No.´ he repeated, suddenly standing up.
´You´re lying.´ she accused him.
´Only because I want to. Drop the subject Emily.´ a tint of threat came beneath the polite way he said it.
The change in his voice and polite demeanor was barely noticeable, but it startled Emily nonetheless, so she bit back her questions.
In the end, she didn´t find anything else about him. After another two hours, sandstorm suddenly subsided and they begun their hike to the small settlement called Goodsprings, where she hoped to find her beloved and he hoped to finish the job without further interference.
Vincent arrived in Goodsprings, hauling two backpacks and an injured woman in the late afternoon. He immediately took her to Doc, after which he went down to the saloon to ask around for any whereabouts of trader called Ringo. By some luck, Ringo actually survived the dash of the frightened brahmin and Trudy, the major of the ´town´ allowed him to hide in the gas station in case Powder Gangers(Hilariously ridiculous name in his opinion) come looking for him as he witnessed the ambush.
He found Ringo in the gas station, as she said.
After seeing how Ringos left arm was hanging by the linen cloth on his chest, Vincent couldn´t find it in himself to berate the man for the fact that he allowed himself to be carried off by crazy brahmin when everyone else was dying. With an dislocated and fractured arm, he would be of no use in the firefight anyhow. So after he convinced the man that he isn´t a threat to him, he told him who he was and who he brought to Doc.
...
Even Vincent winced when her fist connected to the man´s face, who promptly fell on his ass, still looking like he was about to start crying out of happiness. To his credit, Ringo took it as a man, standing up right away and practically leaping in her direction, embracing her in a tight hug without any regard for his injured arm.
´Hey, don´t do that! Do you want to worsen your condition?´ Doc Mitchell complained, shaking his head slightly and rubbing his temple in frustration. Vincent wondered for a moment if he meant her or him.
´Let them be Doc, see how happy they are to see each other.´ Vincent remarked. He folded his arms across his chest and grinned as Emily and Ringo looked in their direction.
´Well... if they need me, I´ll be in the next room, looking after the other patient.´ Doc said, walking out of the room afterwards with the package Vincent delivered. Vincent followed suit, but Ringo called out to him.
´Wait!´
´Eh? Need me for something?´ Vincent turned to the short brown haired man with a nasty bruise forming across the right cheek. Ringo offered him his right hand.
´Thank you for saving her. I have no way to repay you properly now, but if you even come to Crimson Caravan headquarters in New Vegas, I´ll properly reward you.´
´I´ll take your word for it.´ he accepted his hand and shook it briefly. He looked to Emily as he let go. ´I´ll stick a while longer in Goodsprings, so we might chat again.´
´Thank you again.´ she said, still sitting on that bed, her leg properly taken care of.
´Don´t worry about it.´ he said, waving his hand as he walked out of the living room. Out of curiosity, he entered the room where all the medical stuff was. There really was someone else Doc was checking upon, lying still on the bed by the window.
Vincent glanced about the room. There was standard edition Vit-o-Matic Vigor Tester by the doorframe. Directly across the room of it there was an operation table, which was still stained by the dry blood of last operation, which Vincent assumed was done on the prone form behind the makeshift curtain.
There were a couple Stimpaks on boxes stuffed on some old, rusty metal shelves as well as a box of Sunset Saprilla. On top of the box was an 9mm machine gun. Still, Vincent didn´t touch anything. He isn´t a thief.
´Hey Doc, your package all good?´ he finally asked, walking up to the writing table where Doc kept his notes. Contents of the package he delivered were scattered across the table. They were, as Vincent expected, medical supplies. Stimpaks, Super Stimpaks, medical braces and other stuff he didn´t know a thing about. His knowledge of medicine extended to the soldier field aid.
´Yes, everything is in good order. Though... think you could do some more work for me before you take off? I´ll make it worth your while.´ Doc walked out and sat at his table.
´Sure thing Doc, what do you want me to do?´ Vincent told him, glancing at him. He looked weary.
´I need more antidote for poison many of critters around here carry in fangs, teeth and who knows where else. I can make some, but I´ll need you to get me some radscorpion poison glands. Maybe you´ll even run into a couple of cazadores. If you do, take their glands too. You can find those little buggers a small way up north, after you pass our local cemetery.´
´Fine, I can handle that.´ it wasn´t an dream job, lugging the those things around, but he was willing to take it. ´What´s the pay?´
´How does a couple of stimpaks sound to you?´
´Good enough.´ Vincent smiled, nodding slightly at the old man. Doc Mitchell offered him a weary smile of his own. Still, Vincent was curious. ´Who´s in behind the curtain?´
´A young woman that got shot in the head twice last night. I was working hard to save her and have finally gotten her stabilized right before you came. That´s why I look so damn tired...´ old man released an tired sigh.
´She got shot in the head twice? And she lived?´ Vincent was astounded. ´That´s some will to live... Amazing.´ he added, looking to the prone form.
´Yeah, you courier lot are a though bunch.´ his words cut right though Vincent, twisting his insides in sudden rush of anxiety and fear. He blinked a couple of times, surprise evident on his face.
He knew only one woman that worked for Mojave Express. He walked over to the bed.
Indeed, she was laid down on the bed, ghostly pale. A couple of stray strands of her chestnut hair fell over her face, dried of any color. Just over her left brow, there were two small scars. It was like he was looking at a corpse, but she was still alive, her chest was rising slowly with every breath. With one part of mind, Vincent couldn´t help but to notice that Doc really did patch her up right, even after she suffered such wounds.
Vincent sat at the edge of the bed, looking at her. He rubbed his stubble absentmindedly as he contemplated the fact that the only person he was really close with these past few months was lying here after being shot in the head. Doc Mitchell merely sat there, observing him with an keen eye, as if he knew or at least had a vague feeling that Vincent just decided to go after those that shot her, be it alone or with her when she wakes up.
´Kate...´
Author Notes:
As promised, short summary of the important stuff.
Goodsprings is a small mining town that has been repopulated by people who wish to stay out of troubles of others, independent. Thought trade is weak, community has fresh water and is able to sustain themselves.
NCR is short for New California Republic, formed in year 2186, 95 years before the current timeline. It is a nation built in image of the USA before the Great War, which has been expanding ever since its formation. Currently, NCR seeks to expand to east after unifying Core Regions(American West Coast and Southwest.).
Caesar's Legion is an autocratic, ultra-reactionary, utilitarian slaver society based on that of the old Roman Empire, founded in 2255 by Caesar and Joshua Graham, and led by Caesar since that time. Currently, it is in stalemate with NCR after the First Battle of the Hoover Dam.
New Vegas, originally known as Las Vegas in the Wasteland before Robert House revived its reconstruction, is a city upon the remains of Las Vegas, located in southern Nevada. Unlike the other major cities of the United States, Vegas emerged from the atomic fire of the Great War relatively unscathed, with most of the major damage caused by the downfall of society in general.