Chapter 13: Field Agents and Alter Egos
Nick sits down at the table with his tray of slop and takes a test bite. He grimaces as the foul substance hits his tongue. He lowers his fork slightly and growls something under his breath. Two of the other inmates glance at him out of the corner of their eyes quickly before looking away. Deciding the food is a not go he idly scratches at his blue prisoner's jumpsuit. The NCR's Correctional Facility is lacking in several regards, and all of them are starting to get on Nick's nerves.
For one all of the guards are dirty. Not like they are corrupt, but actually dirty. They look just as sick and malnourished as the prisoners they have been tasked with guarding. They look as if they would be ready to riot right along with the prisoners if that ever happened. Then there is the lack of restrictions. Prisoners are allowed to go anywhere they want within the facility, excluding the guard towers and main office. They can sleep where they want. Eat when they want. Do whatever they want whenever during the day. Things here are bad. And if their information is correct, things will soon be getting worse.
He looks up as another inmate comes and sits across from him. Her short hair and small frame should have made her a prime target of the other prisoners, but the way she has attached herself to his hip since their arrival together has kept her safe. Not to mention all the broken noses she handed out on her first day. "Remind me again why we are here?" Veronica asks under her breath as she digs into her food.
Nick continues to scratch at his jumpsuit. "Because House says that one of his other agents who is station here hasn't reported in for too long. Jane wants us to find out what is going on here and put a stop to it. If something here in any way hinders House's operations with the NCR in this area, he needs to know." He takes another bite of the food and forces himself to swallow it down. "That and the great service." Veronica smirks at him, likely recalling the time not so long ago when he had her eat a gecko when she really didn't want to. "Don't say a word. Gecko is good, actual meat, this is just recycled shit."
Out of his peripheral vision he spots three forms approaching them. "Get ready, company." Veronica nods and keeps eating. When they were sent in, House made sure that the NCR guards stationed at the facility had no idea of their true identities, only the facilities top dog knows they are here, and he will only be able to recognize them with a code phrase House gave them. House also made sure that the two of them have a huge reputation, that way they could get easy respect from the inmates. Now all Nick and Veronica have to do is live up to their fake identities. This is something that Nick will find easy, and fun.
One of the inmates leans over his table and takes his bottle of water. "So, you are the one who let the Legion into Forlorn Hope eh?" He drinks from Nicks bottle. "They say you killed six veteran rangers." His two buddies chuckle. "He doesn't look like a killer to me." He slams the bottle down on the table. "You don't look like a killer to me!" Nick ignores him and takes another bite of his food. "Hey, I am talking to you!"
Nick still does not respond to she man shifts his attention to Veronica. "And you. Heard tell that you think you are tough. Think you can go around breaking people's noses?" One of his buddies edges him on. "Well you can't little girl." He reaches out and strokes Veronica's chin. Keep it together, Nick urges her with his eyes. "What about me teaching you a lesson?"
"This food sucks." Nick growls.
Instantly the man's attention is back on him. "What was that?"
Nick takes his fork and slams it into the man's chest! Before the man can make a sound Nick reaches up and grabs his throat, slamming his head down onto the table. "I said the food sucks, I wonder," Nick leans forward and sniffs the mans bleeding chest, "would you taste better?" He jerks the fork out of the man and runs the bloody metal along his mouth.
As he releases the prisoner and stands, they all back away. "You are crazy man," He prisoner shouts as he holds his wound, "bat shit crazy!"
Nick smiles and takes a step towards them. "You have to admit, anything will taste better than that slop." For added emphasis Nick licks his lips. All three prisoners scramble backwards over themselves to get away. Nick makes a disappointed sound, "Have it your way then." He returns to his seat and notices that Veronica is staring at him with suspicion in her eyes. "Before you ask, no, I am not actually a cannibal, but yes, I have partaken of some human flesh before."
She nearly gags. "What? Why?"
Nick rolls his neck and it pops a few times. "Shock and Awe. There were these bastards coming after me and I knew they wouldn't stop until I was taken care of. So one day I decide I am tired of running. They catch up with me and I kill one of them. Before the others can do anything I start acting all savage and tear into the body, ripping off pieces of flesh with my teeth and hands. They were disgusted and shocked enough to forget the who thing and run." Nick forces himself to finish the rest of his slop. "Also, it conveys a message. What I just did conveys a message. And if I have it right, we will be getting an offer very soon."
As if on que a man sits down next to Veronica. He is small of frame and has a serious burn scar on the left side of his face. One of his eyes is a milky white color and likely useless. "Oy," the man growls, "name's Slit, I saw what you did there. Nice piece of work that. I's thinking. You seems like the sort that does this sorta thing without no thought about why. Am I right?" Nick nods without looking up from his food. Veronica is tying to ignore the foul smell coming from the man next to her. "I's saying that you and me haves a little chat yeah? Say, tonight behind the guard barracks?"
Nick nods again and the man leaves with a satisfied expression. "See," Nick smiles at Veronica, "message conveyed."
Veronica shakes her head. "I don't like the way House keeps sending us on these missions without all the details. Like, I still don't understand how in the hell he got us in here no questions asked."
Nick shrugs it off. "He is the master of Vegas, the literal heart of this entire area. He can do whatever the fuck he wants."
His tone is slightly annoyed and Veronica picks up on it. "Sounds to me like to resent his power over you."
"He doesn't have power over me. He has power over Jane. As long as Jane is under his command, then she is in danger. I don't know enough about that man to trust him with her life."
"She has been working with him for a year now on her own? Sounds like you are just being overprotective of someone who does not need protection in the first place. Why don't you just trust her and move on? You fond her, she is alive, isn't that what you set out to do?"
Nick is silent as he thinks. On many levels Veronica is right. He is has been something of an ass towards Jane recently. Most of the others don't know it, but the last time they spoke it was in a heated argument. Nick was trying to convince Jane that House is bad news, but Jane defended him stubbornly. He knows that he presuming a lot, expecting Jane to see things his way, and he feels bad for it. She has done fine on her own for years now. That said, he has this feeling that he cannot shake. House is bad news, he knows it. He learned long ago to trust his instincts and his crazy.
Sometimes though he gets confused. He sees things that others can't. Hears sounds that are not there. Why can't others hear the crows like he does? There are even some of the vile little birds roosting along the fence of the facility right now. One of them is watching him with a glint in its eye, like it knows something. Nick stands and goes over to it, ready to receive its words of wisdom.
Later that same Night Veronica is awoken by a slightly frantic Nick. He clamps a hand down on her mouth and puts a finger to his lips. She stands as he releases her. He motions for her to follow and she does. He leads her outside the bunkhouse and around to the back. Once there he casts a gaze around to make sure no one is around. "What is up, Nick?" She asks sleepily.
"The Powder." he responds simply. She stares at him, not understanding. "The Powder Gangers." As if that makes much more sense. "They will take the explosives and break out of here, tonight. We have to stop them."
Veronica gently grips Nick's shoulders, "I think that food you at is getting to you. You need to rest or something."
Nick shakes his head in frustration. "There isn't any time. Slit told me about it and the crows confirmed it. The red is back Veronica! They have red explosives!" As he speaks the camp is shaken by an explosion. "Fuck, it has started!" He takes off running and Veronica runs after him. She has no idea what is going on, or if Nick actually is aware of the situation, but explosions are usually very bad.
They round a corner to see a guard tower engulfed in flames. There are lots of people running about. They are shouting and whooping and screaming. In the light cast by the burning tower it is hard to tell who is who. "We need to get to the facilitator! He has our weapons!" Nick grabs her arm and drags her through the crowd.
A hand grabs her ankle and she is pulled to the ground. She twists around to see the prisoner Nick threatened before. She struggles, but he has her arms pinned to her sides. "Hey girlie!" some spit hits her face as he speaks. "My turn to make a bitch out of you!" His hands grope her and try to tear open her jumpsuit. A primal force awakes inside of her as her training kicks in. She heaves upwards, flipping them over and reversing their positions. Before he can recover she slams a palm into his face, forcing his nose up into his brain and killing him. She feels no remorse.
She jumps back to her feet and runs towards the main office. There are others running along with her. The other prisoners! They have dynamite! The red explosives! Nick did know what was going to happen! Gunshots ring out from the office and Veronica hits the ground! Damn, she is too late! The NCR officers are already fighting back. She hopes Nick has somehow found a way to get to the facilitator!
Another hand grabs her leg and drags her backwards. She kicks with her free leg and feels something crunch. There is a startled shout followed by cursing. Veronica propels herself forward, swinging frantically at the shape that is still trying to restrain her. Suddenly a fist rockets towards her! She just barely manages to doge it, but it was a feint. A second fist connects with the side of her head and stars burst in her eyes. She feels herself being lifted up and tossed over a set of powerful shoulders.
She shakes her head, attempting to regain control of herself. She starts to struggle again, beating her fists into the back of whoever is carrying her. Her attacker's grip tightens on her leg and pain flares up through her muscles. "Damn it all Veronica it is me!" Nick!?
"Put me down!" If Nick hears her he does not respond. All around them are explosions and gunfire. People scream and howl as the fight goes on. She has no Idea where Nick is taking her. "We have to stop the riot!" Again Nick ignores her. "Nick!" Finally he tosses her to the ground. Before she can even breath he has her by the front of her jumpsuit.
His face is so close to hers she can almost count the beads of sweat on his forehead. His steely eyes bore into her. "We are getting the hell out of here right now." He keeps his grip on her and drags her to her feet as he starts running. She stumbles at first but soon gains her balance and follows him. Together they sprint towards the facilities main entrance. Without slowing down Nick leaps over a low barrier where some guards were holding their ground. He spins and dropkicks both of the men.
Veronica charges past him and slams into the office door! It bursts in and she topples to the ground, shielding her head as bullets rocket through air! Nick jumps over her and moves into the room like a raging animal! Veronica gets to her feet and attacks the guard nearest her. The man comes at her with a baton. At first she just tries to evade him. He is just dong his job and doesn't know they are on the same side. As far as he can tell she is just another prisoner trying to make it out. Finally she stops holding back and ends up braking his arm.
Nick grabs her again and drags out of the exit into the wasteland. They sprint up a nearby hill and don't stop until the correctional facility is far behind them. They double over as they try to gain their breath. "What," pant, "are we," pant, "going to do now?"
Nick holds up a hand and sucks in air. He points back towards the facility. Veronica turns and her eyes widen. From this distance the entire place seems to be on fire. She can tell some of the other prisoners found their escape route, but most still seem to be fighting within. Seconds later a massive explosion rocks the ground and topples most of the facility. The heat from the blast whips past them, nearly knocking Veronica back over. She looks over her shoulder at Nick. "I made sure that only a few of those sick bastards would make it out." That is all he says.
"What about the NCR guards!" She is sickened by the fact that he could so easily kill that many innocents.
He shakes his head. "Casualties of war. People die. Every day people die. Good people. People who don't deserve it. While people like me, monsters, keep on living. Why is that? Because we will do what it takes. We are survivors."
"This isn't a war!" Veronica practically screams.
Nick gives her a level gaze. "Yes, it is." She is stunned. "Every day you breath a new breath is a war. Every second you live is a war. This is the wasteland!" He is shouting at her now. "This entire fucking world is a damn war zone! You cannot change it! I cannot change it! House cannot change it! Why? Because if you like it or not, war never changes!"
Just an update, I may be unable to update on a regular basis. I apologize for this and hope all of you will stick with me. Leave a review, thanks for reading!