III. Preparing with the Man Upstairs…

The Courier, now buzzing with anticipation and trepidation all at once, waited in the cool confines of the Lucky 38 elevator as it powered upwards towards the top floor, floor one hundred, Mr House's private suite. Like any man, Paylor had a boss, someone that gave him the orders that he carried out. It was common knowledge that Mr House was the tactician behind The Courier's acts, but it was the manner that he carried them out that defined who he was.

Believing that human life was valued higher than executing a plan to the letter, The Courier had deviated slightly from House's main purpose (To rule New Vegas in its entirety) and sided with the NCR instead. Originally hostile to him, House had come to accept his role in the grand scheme of his beloved Vegas, running the Strip while the NCR fought with the Legion in the East. Paylor still came to him for a chat and guidance, but mostly to run through his latest plans before he carried them out. Gut instinct played a major role, but it was nice to run through them with a fellow professional.

"So, the Republic has finally gathered the courage to investigate this 'new enemy'?" the giant green tinted face of a young, human Mr House appeared on his large computer terminal in the suite.

"Apparently, only two months two late…" The Courier replied, slightly annoyed.

"You are well aware of General Oliver's...lackadaisical attitude to advancement" stated House "If we were to have persuaded him earlier…"

"Then the Republic would have jumped into another War it couldn't finish" Paylor replied curtly "If it hadn't been for us, the Dam would have been drawn out into a bloody stalemate."

"True…true…" the screen bound man thought for a couple of seconds "What is your plan, then. This 'enemy' does indeed exist; we ourselves had established that" his voice hardened "how you tend to deal with it".

"You know yourself…assimilate to destroy…" sounding unsure, The Courier mumbled off.

"So you intend to become the NCR? Or the Legion?" House bristled "You cannot just waltz on in and simply take their land and identity."

"Then what do you suggest?" the man calmly shot back "The Bear had taken the Bull's life, and is about to claim its land. The goddamn place couldn't get much worse…"

"You have been spending too much time with Ulysses, my friend" was House's only response.

"Regardless" continued Paylor, changing the subject "I'll be departing from the Long 15 Train Station soon, supposedly going to a fringe town before hitting Legion territory."

"My Geomapping scans indicate that it is the settlement of Saint Lucas, a small survivalist community built close to a Vault…"

"A Vault, you say…" The Courier pondered this for a few seconds "…What defences do they have?"

"I can't tell from here, but I am guessing a large town police force or a small army, considering it's connected to the NCR Rail Line" House paused for a few seconds to run a few calculations "They, according to the NCR records, are on the cusp of joining the NCR. By the database's accounts, they're fairly keen but fearful that the fact that they are joining will attract…unwanted attention…"

"So, Saint Lucas…reserved approach…then go on to the East…got it…yeah, got it!"

"You better get going" Mr House told the Courier "Our good General wont be pleased if you are late to his little flyby meeting" the screen-man chuckled dryly.

"Thanks again, sir" Paylor called him that out of respect for everything he had done for him. "I'll be back soon, don't you worry…" he said half sarcastically, half self reassuringly.

"You better be" there was a hint of sadness in House's voice, as though he was losing a child "I need my second in command preferably alive…"

Now back in the Presidential Suite, the Courier mulled over his conversation with House while gathering his gear for the trip.

Pragmatic as House was, he had a point. As much as The Courier was all for the NCR, he hated their upper echelon. It was all snobbish ex-NCR military personnel and staunch politicians, and The Courier didn't mix well with people that didn't share his beliefs on "freedom". The entire prophecy of conquering land may create a unified republic, which ironically Paylor agreed with, was sound but their methods of doing it were unjust. Extortion, ravaging land, all of these tactics were frequently used, and it was not something the Courier generally wanted to be associated with.

Going into his room of the Presidential Suite, he went to the locked metal case under his bed that contained his travelling gear. A set of LAPD Elite Riot Gear armour that he found in the hellhole known as the Divide that he quickly got into, adjusting all the straps and zips. For weaponry he had an AK47, a Russian Pre-War assault rifle that chambered the common 5.56mm rifle bullets. For his side arm he went with a .45 Auto pistol from New Canaan's own Burned Man.

Content with his supplies, he then took out the weathered material camping backpack that had accompanied him on his travels right from Goodsprings to The Fort. Inside it he threw a bountiful supply of Stimpacks, RadAways, Rad-Xs, food and water supplies and a few spare magazines of 5.56mm, the rest of which he slotted in the Riot armours bandolier across his chest. Lastly, he slung the AK around his body with the leather strap, letting it hang loose from his hands to check it was secured properly, and tightened the straps on his backpack. Ready to get going, he took one final look at the room that he lived in, hoping that he would see it again some day, somewhere down the line.

Getting in the elevator, he silently prayed that Oliver's overzealous attitude to war wouldn't get in the way of his mission. God help him if it did…God help him indeed.