Revised on the 12th of October 2017
AN: Finally got to those revisions. Jesus fuck! Sorry about the wait.
Watchpoint: Gibraltar, Mediterranean
2076
The Courier, the Pilot, the Crusader, the Monk, the Bastion, and the Bird finally made it back to Gibraltar, the dropship mostly in one piece this time. They all filed out onto the landing pad, greeted by very familiar sights and most of them not paying any mind to it, except for their newest automaton arrival.
Bastion whirred a sound of astonishment and hesitance as its blue eye scanned the base it was in. The bird flew around the strange environment of concrete and metal before settling back on Bastion's mossy form. Zenyatta and Nathan stayed at its side, the latter particularly observant for any reactions from the Unit or the people working the landing pad. He noticed there were some worried glances cast toward their direction, some glares, too. On the other hand, the Soldier-Omnic seemed oblivious to the attention as it continued staring at the blue sky and rocky mountainsides. Zenyatta still seemed tranquil, and an atmosphere of calm complimenting the larger Omnic next to him.
'Things certainly have become busier when I was gone,' the Courier remarked silently, noticing the landing site was bustling with much more activity than before.
A slight whirring noise made him look back to the dropship and see Reinhardt and a couple of staff carrying Balderich's body on a large, floating cart, his mace at the side. Brigitte was there, too, helping to guide the cart through the base. The large German was oddly quiet as he escorted his master through the base. The Waster watching him go until they were already out of sight.
"Bweeeooo weeeooo?" Bastion inquired, making Nathan turned back around to regard it.
"Yup," Nathan answered. "I guess this is your new home, now. Don't know how they're going to accommodate you, but I'm sure they'll figure out something. Sorry about the lack of grass."
"… Doo do weeooo?"
"Huh?"
Bastion pointed to the front and Nathan followed, realizing that they were being approached by a group Overwatch operatives, none of them he's has met. And they were armed. The one taking point, a woman, had dark skin and wavy blonde hair and carried herself with a seasoned gait. As she got closer, a tag on her uniform became more legible and was stitched with the surname "Mirembe". The Courier narrowed his eyes under the mask and growled lowly as they approached.
"You sure do know how to roll out the red carpet," he sarcastically quipped as they stopped in front of them. The woman wasn't deterred and maintained her professionalism.
"I'm sorry you feel that way," she said in a foreign accent. "But the Bastion Unit must come with us. Security Protocols, sir."
"Not going to cut him some slack, huh?"
"That's up to the higher-ups."
"It's always up to 'higher-ups', isn't it?"
Saying that Nathan took a step closer to the group, closing the gap between him and her. Some of the guards behind their leader reacted to the gesture, getting a bit cautious. Before the tension could get worse, a white hand graced Nathan's shoulder and he looked down to see it was Dr. Angela Ziegler, wearing a blue work shirt and black dress pants under a doctor's coat. She had her holopad with her, as well as a look of concern.
"Nathan, Athena and Lena had told me what had happened," she said, with a slightly commanding but caring tone. "I think you should come with me to the clinic and have you checked out. Please?"
The man's expression softened as he regarded her, but he looked back to Bastion and was hesitant to leave the bot in new territory alone. He barely trusted most of Overwatch, so why should he ensure them to his new mechanical friend.
"Go on and let the Doctor tend to you," Zenyatta hummed out, catching on to Nathan's concern. "Worry not. I will stay by and look after our mutual friend."
He regarded the floating Omnic, still worried about the armed guards, but looked back at his left shoulder and clutched it as there was still a faint sensation of pain. However, he immediately disregarded that pain as he looked back at Bastion and waited for the bigger robot's response. For their say in all of this. Bastion regarded him before giving a mechanical wave. Eventually, he gave the Monk an entrusting nod.
"Come with me, please," Dr. Ziegler said, tugging on Nathan's arm, and leading him to the medical wing.
He followed, but before he went further, he got close to Mirembe and hissed at her with a potent venom in his voice. "You better be careful."
She darted to eyes at him in an irritated and shook glare before quickly casting them back to the front.
Nathan continued following the doctor away from them, noticing he gained a limp somehow, but soon looked back to the dropship and watched as the guards began to escort Bastion to wherever there were going to take him. Zenyatta following suit, with the bird on his shoulder.
They had reached the infirmary, shortly after, Nathan looking around and taking it in as he was heavily sedated the first time he was here. Immediately on his left was the door to an office, that he assumed belonged to Dr. Ziegler. Before him were two rows of hovering hospital beds, separated by green curtains strung up by rings. However, the Doctor led them to the left, where there was a hallway with multiple numbered rooms. She opened the door to the first one, gesturing for Nathan to walk in. He obliged and found himself in a small room that also had a floating cot, but had cabinets, drawers, and counter along some of the walls.
"Take your clothes off and lie down on the bed, please," the Doctor asked, tapping on her holopad. "So, I can get a thorough examination of the extent of your injuries."
Nathan did as he was told, laying his gear and weapons on a nearby chair, and taking off his apparel to the point where he was only in his boxers. He then laid down, presenting his scarred, muscly body to the Doctor as she went over and began to press some buttons on the bed.
"Your, uh," Dr. Ziegler started and hesitating a bit. "'Pip-Boy' as well, please."
The Waster regarded her with a slightly displeased expression before he powered down the wrist bound computer, then unlocking the biometric mag-locks with a hiss and sliding the gauntlet off. The Doctor grabbed it and placed it on the counter before going back to the bed's controls. A scanner rose from the bed's footrest and began to go over the man's body, a green line washing over him as he tried to stay still. It went over his body again, from head to toe, until it blinked off and retracted into the bed.
"Fancy…" he remarks, still staring at the ceiling.
"I'm not used to state of the art facilities these days," she states, as she began to manipulate new holo-images on her tablet. "Which, thankfully, makes my job much easier and less of a headache than it has recently been."
The Doctor brought up two holograms into the air, both x-rays of his left arm and right leg, respectively. While his left arm seemed fine for the most part, but his right leg still hasn't completely healed yet and was the reason for why he was limping minutes earlier. All that action at the castle probably made it worse.
"For someone who fell hundreds of meters through the air, into a forest, and was stranded for two days; I expected much worse than two minor fractures and a through-and-through gunshot wound," the blonde physician stated, genuinely astonished at the Courier's state.
"Well, you are forgetting the couple hundred lacerations I got on my legs and arms from falling through the trees," he mentioned, with a bit of a dry wit. "But all-in-all, I think the Stimpaks and my implant did a good job holding me together. Wouldn't you agree?"
A slight smile formed on Angela's face as she began to inspect Nathan's right shoulder, before going to a cabinet and retrieving a pair of blue latex gloves, tongs, cotton balls, and a bottle of a rubbing alcohol. She put the gloves on her hands and starts to dab a cotton ball with the disinfectant.
"I'll have to disinfect your wounds first before activating the biotic field," Angela stated, about to start. "Then, after about an hour, you should be free to go."
"Good," Nathan stated. "I'm in no rush."
Dr. Angela Ziegler began to dab the disinfectant all over Nathan's body, wherever there were cuts and lacerations that haven't healed up yet. The sharp stings from the liquid did cause Nathan to wince from time to time, promptly followed by apologies from Angela. Other than that, it was largely silent between the two as the Doctor kept dabbing wet cotton balls over the man. However, her eyes sometimes glanced to the man's chest and arms, to all the scars he was brandishing. It wasn't the first time she's seen them, but her curiosity didn't waver. They varied in their length and depth, some as small and thin as her finger, others large and scaling the entirety of his limb. The only part of his body that seemed remotely unscathed was where he wore his Pip-Boy, the flesh also noticeably paler in skin tone. The scars and the stories he had behind some of them could be further proof of his "origin". The blonde had just gotten to the gunshot wound on the man's shoulder when he took notice of her ogling.
"Something wrong?" he asked, perking an eyebrow at her.
"No," she responded, shaking her head as she ditched the dirtied cotton ball and grabbed a fresh one. "It's just the scars you have. I've never really seen so much on one man. I think Reinhardt has you beat but knowing him…"
"Morbid curiosity, huh? Wanna know the story behind some of them?
She looked at Nathan in the eye, cocking her head to the side, before returning to the task at hand.
"Why not? It could help pass the time and help with a diagnosis," she quipped. "Why not tell me how you got…This one?"
The Doctor gestured to a large scar that scaled the side of his left bicep, one of the larger ones on the arm. The Courier looked, and let out a disappointed huff as soon as he recognized where he got it from.
"Okay, the story behind that one is not really exciting," he started, a grimace forming across his mouth. "And it's kinda dumb."
"Aww," Angela protested, trying to sound disappointed. "I wanted to hear it."
"I didn't say anything about that. Basically, I was in my workshop one day, cleaning up my inventory. I got up from my chair to get something but I ended up slipping on some excess oil that was on the floor. Fell on one of the weapons I had lying on the ground, a Winchester P94 Plasma Caster of all things."
"A 'Plasma Caster'? How did it cause this?"
"Their muzzles basically double as a bayonet – no, a spear – and I fell right on top of it. Cutting deep enough to scar like this. Now I have a constant reminder to put my weapons away after I'm done tinkering with them."
"Hmm. I don't know. It sounds like a good moral story about responsibility and mindfulness."
"So, not be me, then?"
Angela suddenly lets out a lighthearted chuckle, holding her wrist to her smiling mouth as she still held onto the tongs holding the cotton swabs. Nathan furrowed his brow at the laughing woman but couldn't really blame her. He did set himself up for that, incidentally. The scarred man sighed out of slight annoyance. The Doctor started to calm down, going back to tending his wounds, all while still having a smirk on her face.
"I'm sorry, Nathan," she said, still letting the giggles out. "I just found it funny."
"Good to see my tall tales are entertaining," he notes, not really entertained. "That just means you still owe me."
A tilt of confusion replaces the Doctor's amusement as she addressed Nathan with her brows furrowed.
"What do you mean by that?"
"About a week ago, after I told you my history I asked for yours. Willing to share?"
Dr. Ziegler stares at Brin and regarded him with a curious look. She gestured him to sit up so she could get access to the exit-wound on his back. More scars across greeted the doctor and mentally made her grimace.
"Well, if you must know," she began, already starting to dab alcohol on the wounds. "I was born in Zürich, Switzerland, worked at a prominent Swiss Hospital, pioneered the use of nanotechnology, and was recruited by Overwatch at 17 to be the head of their medical research, and after that all collapsed I responded to crisis zones, wherever I could. A few years later and I'm back here again."
Nathan let out a long whistle at the achievements the Swiss Doctor listed, shaking his head.
"You have some serious accomplishments under your belt, no doubt about that," he complimented honestly. "What about your family? Your parents? What can you tell me about them?"
There was a slight pause from the Swiss Woman before she went back to dabbing the disinfectant, but noticeable enough for her patient to catch on to it. He begins to think he dug a bit too deep with this one. A small sinking feeling already forming in his stomach coupling the stinging in his shoulder.
"They were…" the Doctor went on, clearly hesitant on either what to say or how to react. "Two very loving people, and I loved them very much. I, unfortunately, lost them early in the Omnic Crisis."
"I'm… Sorry," the Courier apologized, a solemn face taking hold as he turned his head away from her and staring blankly at the wall. "Didn't mean to pry."
"It's quite all right, I know you didn't mean to and I can't blame you for being curious. And Reinhardt had told me they found you at Eichenwalde. That town and the surrounding areas was a serious point of contention during the war, at least in Germany. And the Bastion Unit you brought back… I doubt it will make things any easier around the base."
Nathan had to agree with her on that, sadly. He might have to keep a close eye on the bot. Better him than anyone else.
"Well, Bastion's not exactly harmless but he's not bloodthirsty, either. But, yeah, being there and seeing things. The Great War comes to mind…"
As she put away the alcohol and cotton balls and began to wrap gauze around his shoulder, Angela looked at Nathan, a tinge of sympathy growing within her as she watched his visage become grimmer. Whether she believed he was from a different Earth, it was almost a fact that he has been through so much. They both did. She tapped on his shoulder, making him look into her blue orbs, a warm, friendly smile on her face.
"Now is not the time to be thinking about that," she said, smiling but shaking her head at the same time. She pressed a button on the bed and a golden glow immediately washed over the Courier, the effect like Zenyatta's golden orb. "Now is the time to rest. For one hour at least. Doctor's orders!"
The Waster couldn't help but return a small smile. Out of gratitude, at least.
"Sure thing, doc," he obliged, before lying down on a soft pillow and staring at the ceiling once again. "Uh, thanks, and sorry for bringing that subject up."
"No worries, Brin," Angela responded as she disposed the gloves and put the supplies back. "Call me if there's anything you need."
With one final smile, Dr. Ziegler left the room, closing the door behind her and leaving the Courier all alone inside. Nathan exhaled deeply as he stared up at the ceiling, replaying the last ten minutes in his mind. Being teleported to an alternate Earth, being jailed temporarily by a paramilitary organization, and being contracted by the same organization, he didn't expect to make friends. Well, Bastion became a friend similar how a dog likes someone because they just acted nice to it. Zenyatta just seems to be friendly with everyone so it wasn't much of a challenge to befriend him. And Angela… It was more of an acquaintanceship but he guessed her reputation as the "Good Doctor" preceded her. Still, it was something.
Before Nathan could properly relax, a holoimage flashed on the foot of Nathan's bed and he saw Athena there.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Brin," the AI apologized. "But Winston has requested to see you once your treatment has finished."
The man groaned as he slumped his head back into the pillow, not even catching a break in the infirmary.
"Tell him I'll be there in an hour," the patient merely said, still staring at the ceiling.
"Very well," Athena responded, about to blink off until she stopped herself. "Oh, and Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
"Glad to have you back."
Her hologram disappeared, leaving Nathan alone for the one hour he had.
The one hour went by quicker than he would've have liked.
Once he left the infirmary, limp-free, he went back to his quarters and dropped off his gear and armor. Walking to Winston's in a clean, loaned Overwatch shirt and black combat pants, the Courier eventually reached the Scientist's lab and went upstairs to his office. Winston was at his desk, looking at some holovids he had projecting from his computer. He didn't even notice Nathan walking up to him until the man cleared his throat to make his presence known.
"Oh! You're here! Good…" the Gorilla said as he paused the video and turned to face the man. "I need to discuss something with you."
"What?" he asked, noticing how the ape seemed concerned and frustrated with something.
"It's about what happened in Germany – in Eichenwalde. Your actions there have caused some concern. I think I should let this speak for itself."
Winston grabbed the holovid and placed it in front of Nathan, displaying what looked like a newscast. A woman with brown hair and formal attire was looking at the camera, and in the bottom-left was a red and white logo of the world with the words "Atlas News" at the bottom. Next to that was a headline that read "Bastion Sighting – German Military Engaged in Ruins of Eichenwalde".
"Despite the rumors and sightings of the supposed Bastion Omnic in the German Black Forest," the reporter started, images of Bastion Units appearing beside her with blood-red eyes and a different paint job. "It wasn't until a report of a dangerous confrontation between the Bastion Unit and a family camping in the woods led to an Omnic-Hunt carried out by the German Military."
Another image appeared next to her, but of a familiar-looking town that had a people walking about and cars driving by. It was the village before it was lost.
"The search eventually led the military to the ruins of Eichenwalde, a town long-since abandoned since the Battle of Stuttgart, around thirty years ago. However, as the search teams landed within the town, they were first engaged not by a Bastion Unit, but a man in black armor."
The video cut from the newscaster to an interview of a man in a red beret and a grey officers uniform. The tags identified him as one of the Crusader Units. He spoke in German, but his words were translated by subtitles that appeared at the bottom.
"After landing outside of Eichenwalde Castle, my men and I came under sniper fire from an unknown assailant. He wounded some of our men but we were able to pursue him into the insides of the castle, where we were finally engaged by the Omnic."
"What happened after?" an interviewer asked.
"The Bastion then proceeded to open fire on the roof, collapsing part of the castle on us. After we had cleared ourselves of the rubble we gave chase, but they were already gone before we could've done anything."
'He's lying?' Nathan questioned to himself, remembering how the two Crusaders did give chase but practically watched and didn't do anything as the dropship was still embedded into the castle. 'Why?'
"What did the man look like?"
"He wore a dark coat over metal armor and had a helmet with glowing red eyes. He also had this strange gauntlet over his left arm and was, for some reason, armed with an old Karabiner. However, we did not get a chance to see his face."
The video cut back to the woman, who had a grainy image of silver-headed Talon soldiers next her.
"While the description of the assailant matches that of soldiers from the terrorist-group – Talon – it also matches the description of a man spotted in Egypt and Great Britain, working alongside what many are calling the 'New Overwatch'."
Grainy images then replaced the Talon soldiers, one showing him outside the compound, among the rubble, in Giza and another showing him leaning against the Overwatch dropship in King's Row.
'Ah fuck…' was all he could think in his mind.
"It has also been reported that an Overwatch dropship was spotted leaving the area and was pursued by a helicopter until it was forced to break away after sustaining heavy damage. Eight men have been wounded, including one who is in critical condition. The identity of this man has not been confirmed, and there has yet been no official word from the U.N. regarding this incident."
The video blinked off, leaving the man and the gorilla alone except for the slight glow of orange that cast off the Mediterranean Sea. Winston had an easily unamused expression as he stared at Nathan, who wasn't delighted by the news either.
"So," the man said, regarding Winston with a defensive gaze. "What happens now?"
"Now…" the gorilla responded, pushing up his glasses as he breathed out deeply. "We're still stretched thin and you have proven yourself capable, so… I still have missions in the upcoming future for you, but you need to be careful. Your recklessness in Germany could've cost us a great loss! It could've caused the U.N. to bear down on us with all they have!"
"The more you say, 'stretched thin', the more I'm beginning to think being in a cell wouldn't have been a bad idea compared to… This."
"That still doesn't change what happened in Germany. You shot at them, for God's sake!"
"I needed to distract them. If I didn't they would've found Bastion and turned him into a scrap heap. If it wasn't for him, I would still be stranded in the forest."
"But did you need to shoot at them?! One of the men is in critical condition because of you. If he dies, it's not just on you, it's also on all of Overwatch!"
Nathan's fist tightened at that, his face contorting out of anger.
"Don't try to lump me in with your band of merry men!" he vehemently spat out, glaring at the gorilla. "I didn't ask for any of this! If I remember correctly, you were the one who contracted me into Overwatch. And you were also the one who asked Dr. Ziegler to spy on me and still let me come on your missions. If anything, that man's death is on your hands you fucking ape!"
Winston rose from his "chair" and got within Nathan's space, his face mere inches from his. He was getting angry, sparks starting to crackle from his face and baring his canines as he snarled at the man. The Courier stood his ground, maintaining his stoic visage, and not backing down from the scientist.
"Do not bring Angela into this!" the Scientist yelled. "She had nothing to do with your reckless actions in Germany and I easily trust her judgment as sane and rational. But not yours!"
"As do I," the Courier accepted. "But that still leaves us at odds. So, go ahead! Fuckin' pummel me into a bloody pulp! Jail me! Whatever! Don't let me soil your little club!"
They glared at each other for several long moments, until Winston closed his mouth but kept his furious expression. The sparks were beginning to die down. The Courier still clenched his first.
"As much as I would like to," the Scientist stated, relaxing his stance and composure. "You're still an asset to Overwatch and we still have a deal to meet."
"Hmm," the man hummed out, uncertain at the sincerity. "Anything else?"
"Fareeha's colleagues at Helix were finally able to crack the data we gave them, regarding Hakim's whereabouts," Winston explained as he went back to his desk, in a tense tone. "I don't have everything yet, but when I do… Athena will notify you."
"Understood," was all the Courier said as he walked out of Winston's office and eventually back out in the open Gibraltar air.
He stopped, pulling out his pack of cigarettes and pulling one out. He noticed he was running low and that he had to restock soon, somehow. After lighting the tip and taking a good drag from the stick of centuries-old tobacco, he walked over to the cliffside and watched as the sun set into the horizon, glistening off the water. He gave another drag and blew the cloud into the ocean. His mind not being easily as eased by the tobacco as he would've liked.
"And why might you be here?" asked a robotic voice.
Nathan looked to the left and saw the metal man, Genji, sitting on the edge with his legs crossed and his scabbards placed to the side. One hand rested on his knee, while another formed a two-fingered gesture in front of his chest. His head was bowed, obscuring the green visor of his eyes.
"I don't know," the smoking man let out. "I guess I just like looking at water. Not too many sights like these back home."
"The same," the resting man responded. "It's beautiful here! I could never appreciate it before."
After that small exchange, silence reigned between the two. The only sounds being the squawking of the seabirds, the crashing of the wave against the rocks below, and the sound of Nathan breathing in smoke and letting it out. He just stood there, staring at the waves as his mind began to race with so many things, mainly questions. Whether he made a mistake agreeing to help Overwatch. He set out to get back home, but the Transportalponder is nowhere on the horizon in front of him. He didn't know how long it will take to find it. How long he'll be stuck with Overwatch.
"Frustrated?" the Japanese man asked, his head slightly turning to Nathan.
"One way of putting it," the Californian answered, burning up his cigarette before throwing it onto the ground and stamping it out. "Fuck it. I'm going to the bar."
"May I join you?"
Nathan stopped in his tracks and looked back at the metal man, still on the ground, with an incredulous look.
"Ya' serious?"
"Hai. I find things are most enjoyable when with company."
"You can say that about of lots of things. You really wanna come along with me? You seem fine here, facing the setting sun."
"I have had my fill of solitude for the day," he said, getting up from his peaceful position to face the taller man.
Nathan couldn't but help frown, wondering what was with the man he hasn't spoken to since the time he saved him from that blue-woman.
"Ehhh, sure," he accepted. "I don't remember properly thanking you for saving me from that woman that day. I'll buy you a drink. Er- You can drink, can you?"
Genji let out a slight chuckle as he walked with Nathan to the base's bar.
A Cave, Northwest of Goodsprings, Mojave Wasteland
2285
The cave was dark and damp, a musty smell pervading their noses as they tried to maneuver through the cramped spaces with what little visibility they had. Oddly enough the cave was spacious, easily having enough room for the group to not stumble trying to move in any direction, but there were Pre-War equipment and junk scattered across the cave floor. Some of them were simple things like furniture and valueless trinkets, others were large pieces of equipment that looked like they belong in old Pre-War laboratories… Or military installations. Large growths of branches and flora also obstructed the way.
Ranger Parmley took point with a pair of Night-Vision Goggles over his eyes and tried to guide the rest of the group through the thicket. He also had his rifle out, just in case.
"Geez, this place gives me the creeps," he lamented, climbing over a large branch growing out of the ground. "I never liked going into caves…"
"Just keep walking straight ahead," Veronica instructed, keeping close to him as the others were behind her. "I think we're getting close."
They then climbed upwards, a path in the cave leading them to a metal door. Veronica stepped forward, and after twisting the latch, the metallic door opened and the lights blinked on to reveal a bunker built into the cave. They first walked in what seemed to be a living room, chairs, a couch, a table, and a T.V. to their immediate right and a kitchen to their left. Like many other Pre-War ruins, it was largely decayed and looked abandoned for over hundreds of years. It still looked like someone once lived here.
"Down here," Veronica then led them through the bunker, taking them through a hallway and eventually another doorway. Where they were just in a living area that seemed cozy enough for waiting out the nuclear apocalypse, they were now in a room of rusted metal and computers. What was especially strange is was what was in front of them. A row of "pods" with these strange, cylindrical contraptions that look like electrical transformers hanging over each of them. Surrounded by equipment and consoles that still had power surging through them, indicated by the blinking lights.
"Oh, this place…" Boone grumbled, unpleasant thoughts entering his mind as he reminisced.
"Where are we?" Parmley asked, clueless as to what he was looking at.
"We stumbled upon this bunker with Nathan about a year or two ago," Veronica began to explain, as she went over to one of the consoles, examining it. "All the records he was able to find referred to this place as a 'relay station'. Long story short, this place teleports people."
"… No shit?"
"We likewise shared the sentiment the first time we stumbled through one of those relays. Quite a revelation that day… Vomit inducing, too."
Parmley glanced at her for a second, not sure if he wanted to know the story behind those choice words, and got closer to the relays. Not too close, of course. As he walked alongside the pods and inspected them, he noticed they all had notes pasted onto them, displaying handwritten words to possibly indicate where they lead to. Some of them seemed tame and benign, such as "Ruins", "Depot", and "Empty Room". Others were much more intriguing with their descriptions. And foreboding. When he walked up to the second to the last pod, the word on the note had all its letter capitalized and multiple lines scrawled beneath it. If that wasn't enough emphasis, it also had large exclamation marks all over the note and in any space available. It only had the word "DEATHCLAWS" written on it.
"Yeaaaahhh, some of the relays kinda sent us to some really shitty places," Veronica admitted, noticing what pod Parmley was standing in front of.
"I can imagine," Parmley responded, getting away from that relay pod with some haste. "So, only you guys know this place exists?"
"Pretty much. The folks in Goodsprings know this cave exists but never really ventured into here because, let's face it, spelunking into random cave ruins is never a good idea. And I doubt the NCR ever really bothered checking what they think is some dingy cave. Dumb luck, to be honest."
"So, now what?"
"Now… We get to work."
Veronica reached into her pack and pulled out the Big Mountain satellite black box, laying it next to the console she was working on. She then opened a panel on both the console and the black box, and after sifting through some wires pulled out a cable from the console that fortunately could fit one of the ports on the black box. The ex-Scribe then went over to a terminal that was emplaced on the wall and began to access the data the black box had. As best as she could, at least.
"Wow… Wow… WOW!" the ex-Scribe exclaimed, looking over all the data popping up on the terminal. "This is a lot to take in. Ibsen would have a field day with this!"
"Ah, hell, it's not going be that much of a problem, is it?" the Ranger asked, concerned they just reached a major technological roadblock.
"I don't know. There's a lot of data here that I'll have to sift through. It might take some time. You guys can take a breather while I'll try to figure all of this out…"
Waiting had already taken them halfway through the day, the sun already setting unbeknownst to the people within the cave. Parmley and Cooper were in the living area, the former sitting in the booth eating some of the food stocked up here and the latter silently watching. Parmley was starting to get quite bored, getting halfway through a can of "Pork N' Beans" before just lazily stirring his spoon through the soup. A small whimper made him look down to see Cooper staring up at him, licking his chops expectantly. With an exasperated sigh, he grabbed the can and placed it on the ground in front of the dog, who proceeded to happily lap up the beans.
"Help yourself," the Ranger said, as he propped himself back into the booth and placed his Stetson over his eyes. "Wasn't that hungry, anyway."
Not even a minute later he felt a tap on his leg and adjusted the hat from his eyes. Cooper was looking back up at him, an empty can at his feet, but Rex was next to him and was looking at the metal door to the bunker. The older dog just stared at it, laying down on all fours, until he stood up and started to growl at it. The Ranger got up, picking up his rifle from the table and going over to Rex.
"What is it, boy?" he asked the robotic dog. "What's got you so riled up?"
"Bark!"
He looked back at the door, thinking there might be something on the other side. The Ranger gets up and walks towards the door, slowly, and presses his ear up against the metal and tries to listen for anything moving through the cave. He hears nothing but silence beyond the door. He backs away from the door and slowly reaches toward the handle as he tries to get a proper grip on his rifle. The door opens without his help, and as the light from the bunker spills outward to the cave, it illuminates the form of the man with the twisted hairs. The one they spotted at Goodsprings.
"Woah! What the hell?!" Parmley yelped in surprise, instantly bringing the muzzle of his rifle to the man's masked face.
The man merely stared at him and looked behind the ginger-bearded man to see Veronica and Boone run-in with their weapons at the ready. All while the dogs are barking at him.
"Hey! What's wro-" the Sniper exclaimed before his eyes widened in surprise and he brought up his rifle, flipping the safety off on his bolt. "What is he doing here?"
"Helping to deliver a message," the masked man finally said, his voice a deep and gravely tenor, slightly muffled by the mask but somehow sounding calm through all of this. "As all couriers do."
"Most mailmen don't wander into an abandoned cave to follow a group of people they saw while under NCR custody. How did you get away?"
"The night provided good cover. Coupled with the fatigue of the troops and experience in captive situations; it wasn't too challenging."
"Why did you follow us?"
"As I said, I'm 'helping to deliver a message, as all couriers do'. Your message meant to be carried to another courier. Courier Six."
As the man with the twisted hair said that, the party seized up and were astonished at how he seemed to know why they were there. As if he had been watching from every step of the way. This did not help their suspicions but helped raise them. Veronica was quick to voice her questions, wary that he might be one of the many enemies her friend has made in the Wastes.
"How do you know?" she questioned, still certain this could be a coincidence.
"Word travels fast around the Mojave. Faster than one expects, or one would like. And your group – your search party – you carry yourselves with a purpose. A strict, defined goal. In a similar manner to Courier Six. To walk this road and find him."
"… Well, that's cryptic."
"Make of it what you will."
The three exchanged confused glances, unsure of what to think about the masked man and the words he was spouting in such an odd manner. Did this man with the twisted hairs know Nathan? How did he know Nathan, and what was he doing around The Divide? A worse thought crossed Veronica's mind, as she looked at the man in a defensive stance. Did Nathan go into The Divide? Without bothering to tell anyone, not even her? Why? And what happened?
'Great, more questions…' she thought silently to herself. 'What did you do, Nathan, ya' big dumbass?'
"Listen," she started, exhaling deeply as she was tired from the day they had. They all were. "If there's anything you have to say, just say it. Otherwise, you're just making us waste our ti-"
"They're coming."
Veronica's eyes went wide at that. "What?"
"Soldiers. Brothers of Steel. Bringing with them their Advanced Armor and Weapons. I saw a group charting the same path you did. I was just quicker."
The Scribe just stared at the man, until a flicker of light shined off the cave behind him. She rushed forward, pushing the man out of the way, and saw rays of light coming from the cave entrance. They belonged to the lights of T-51b helmets and were accompanied by the sound of metal stomps. She turned to the man with wide eyes and an annoyed tone.
"Why didn't you say that sooner?! What the hell, dude?!"
"I- Hurgh!"
The verbose man didn't even have a chance to finish the sentence before the coated women pushed him in and shut the metal door behind them. She then punched its opening mechanism with her pneumatic gauntlet and disabled it, locking themselves inside.
