Snowflake on the sand

Chapter 6

The Wrangler was a noisy place she thought as the sounds, of drnking partying and carnal desires reached her ears. Tonight she would get no sleep but fortunately she didn't feel like she needed it, her body on the other hand was thankful to be lying down on a bed. Even if she felt like she would need a shower after lying down on it.

Six opened the door to their room with a frown "Got some work, but the total would not get us into the Strip, but it seems luck is on our side; the NCR is collecting bounties on fiends or so says some people here. That's good money I would bet so here's what I propose in the morning we do some cleanup for the Garrets around Freeside and then there is this a camp McCarran nearby" Courier Six said as he sat down at the edge of the bed.

Winter sat up and motioned him to move closer, when he did she got her hands on the PipBoy and started to look for information, Six raised an eyebrow but waited to see what the specialist was up to.

"There was also this building that we passed I think we should check it out, it's called the Old Mormon fort" Winter said as she marked it on his map, Six gave a nod and moved towards the couch leaving the bed to Winter.

"So crazy to believe that there are still remnants of old religions around, the Mormons where some kind of a religious group back in the old days, never was religious man myself… I think, but still I am actually somewhat curious to hear what this god fellow has to say"

Winter stared at the ceiling as she pondered "We didn't have much of religion back home, only legends and fairy tales, the tale of how two brothers created the land one, both equal and yet mirror opposites in their light and darkness. Part of me thinks it was just a good story, one that made my little Sister happy… but who knows maybe they did shatter the moon"

Six chuckled under his breath "You world sounds like a nice place, maybe I will go there on vacation" Winter smiled but shook her head at the idea.

"We don't even know if I can go back" she said and for a moment there was silence.

"You will go back Winter, don't you worry if the answer is not in Vegas it's going to be in Helios or somewhere on this land, we are not going to leave until all of our options are Empty" the courier replied with a serious tone, Winter felt a smile form on her lips as she turned to look at the bizarre man that was her companion.

Six looked quite relaxed as he stared at the ceiling, just enjoying resting. She knew that he was frustrated at almost achieving his vengeance but a literal wall stopped him from getting there. But she also saw something different, he was relieved that the adventure was not over, he had nothing and other than heling her Six had no other desire.

What would he do when there was nothing left? Would he wander the wasteland, involve himself in the conflict that consumed the Mojave? All this questions swarmed her mind and unable to go back to her relaxed position she spoke out.

"Six?"

The courier turned to look back at her, he looked confused, maybe he though they were done talking for the night. "Yeah, something wrong?" he asked looking at her in the eye.

"I know that you said that you would help me when you killed this Benny but… surely there's more for you to do right? I mean, you have past don't you; I'm just worried that maybe you forgot to remember that part"

Six frowned for a moment, but finally let out a sigh "There's nothing of my past that matters, every time I try to remember something I am greeted by one thing, fire and death. The very earth opened to swallow my home or that is what I get from my dreams, there is no home for Courier Six to go back to" he said and even if he hid it very well; Winter picked up a hint of sadness on his voice.

"If… if we find a way for me to go back home, maybe you should tag along. Atlas could use an asset like you, a hunter of beasts with plenty of adventure and exploration on the lush forests" she finished as her mind began to sink into the land of dreams. The next day she could not tell if it was her hopeful mind or if she really did hear Six say "I would like that"

"You don't get it Santiago is VIP!" Santiago said with the biggest grins, one that Six was very much tempted to shatter with a well-placed punch but he knew that if he took that approach maybe Santiago would run off to gods knows where.

"A VIP? Really now, if you where such a VIP why did Francine put a bounty on your head" Six said his voice low, Santiago's eyes widened.

"We can take care of this the funny way or…" Six pressed his rifle at his stomach "The funnier way"

"I- I do the VIP act to get out of some debts...I didn't know she was this upset, here this are all the caps" he said as he shakily offered the courier a small brown bag. The courier gave it a shake and gave a nod "Thank you Santiago, this better be all the caps I would hate to bother such an esteemed VIP"

With a satisfied grin, Six walked back to Winter who was wiping the blood out of her glove "Grecks paid everything" the specialist said as she handed him the caps, Six looked at her hand and raised an eye at the amount of blood.

"Just how hard did you punch him?" he asked curious and frightened at the same time.

"Hard enough" was all she said, Six gave a nervous nod and kept walking as he looked at his PipBoy "So we got all the caps and we recruited two of the esteemed workers, we are only missing the Sex bot and wouldn't you know it Ralph just so happened to have a tape for that"

Winter felt her eye twitch, refusing to comment on their current mission. Six smirked and decided that he needed some fun "What do you think the sex bot looks like?"

"…"

"Because I'm picturing like a mannequin that makes itself whatever your desires are for the day"

Six smiled as some red colored the ears of the pale soldier, but she still refused to say anything.

"Maybe we should take for a spin you know, to see if it works" Six was stopped from his walk as a sword was unsheathed and placed against his chest, a red-cheeked winter glared at him.

"Not a word from you courier" Winter then quickened her pace, her cheeks reddening even more when Six let out a loud laugh.

When they arrived Cerulean robotics they where greeted by a ton of rats, disgusted Winter used her sword to decapitate them, six was content with shooting them with a 9mm pistol he had to deal with critters.

Once the place was cleared the search for the bot started, Winter grumbled the entire time as she moved boxes and opened drawers trying to find something that resembled… whatever it was that Garret wanted, she approached a pod and unable to look inside she set to hack the terminal.

"Six I think I found our bot" she yelled, faster then she would have liked Six appeared.

"Really, where? How does it look like?" Six said as tried to peer inside, Winter elbowed him on the ribs and pointed at the terminal.

"It took me some time but I managed to hack it, the technology is a bit archaic but my training helped anyways" she said, a hint of pride on her words. Six gave her a look "What do you mean archaic this was top of the line back when the bombs fell"

Winter bit her lip, not wanting to believe that a civilization that had surpassed Remnant on destruction and AI somehow managed to do it without even using touch screens. "Just place the tape Six, please… for my sanity"

Six shrugged and did so, the smoke that came off the pod blinding them for a second and what came out of it left both of them speechless, a Protectron walked out and turned to Six.

"Fully Integrated Security Technotronic Officer at your service" the robot said as it presented itself, Winter felt a vein pop when Six snickered already knowing where this was going.

"That's a mouthful how about we just call you Fisto" Six proposed and to Winter's ever growing ire, Fisto nodded.

"Of course master… please assume the position"

"What?" both of them said as Fisto approached them, the robot did not stop not caring that both of his master where basically running away from him.

"I am programmed to serve, please assume the position" the robot insisted, its arm shaking back and forth.

"No, no, NO, I am not your master… its Garret yeah, he is your master he is at the atomic wrangler and he wanted me to direct you to him immediately" Six said, Fisto stopped moving and for a moment Winter feared that Fisto would not understand; but to everyone's relief Fisto turned and left sating that he was on his way to serve his master.

Six let out a sigh of relief and turned to Winter who was red as a tomato, shaking her head she exited the building followed by Six who was checking his PipBoy for what their next mission would be.

"Look at what we have here ladies, another unsuspecting ponce!" an old lady who appeared out of nowhere said as her other two colleagues flanked her, with a yell all of them charged at Six and a familiar tune was heard. Winter pinched herself as she saw Six get beat up by a bunch of old ladies and when that didn't work she simply left.

The bounties where less humorous than their escapade in Freeside, Winter shuddered as Six cut their last bounty's head off; Violet.

Surrounded by dead dogs, both Six and Winter where sweating and tired. The sun was still high up in the clouds but they had underestimated the fiends, Cook-Cook had been the toughest to kill, burning away at some of Winter's clothes and scarring Six's right hand.

But in the end a swift decapitation was the fate that awaited him, Winter kept on killing every fiend she found. The White Fang looked like saints next to the monsters that crawled in the ruins of Vegas.

NCR was right when it called them a bunch of rapist drug addicts and what was worse is that they were so high on their drugs that no matter how hard they hit them, they would not stop until their organs where spilled on the floor.

Winter stumbled a bit as they walked under the harsh sun of the afternoon, the smell of the heads hanging off Six's hip not helping on their journey back to McCarran. The guard at the gate coughed and covered his nose when they passed him, the only one that didn't seem to give a damn was Major Dhatri who was smoking outside a tent.

"Let me guess, you want out of the deal because the fiends turned out to be too much for you to handle; look I understand but you are not getting paid for just trying"

Six threw the heads at his feet, to tired to explain what had happened. For a moment there was silence but then Dhatri let out a laugh of joy.

"Fuck yes! Oh you just made me a very happy man, with these sons of bitches dead things are finally going to start looking up for us here at McCarran, here's everything plus a little bonus but god get away from me you guys smell like shit"

With a pat on the back the NCR soldiers handed them everything and Six smiled

"Two thousand and one caps, let's hear what the robot at the gates has to say now" Six said with a smile, and Winter couldn't help but to share his enthusiasm, there was no way that anything could stop them now. The walk back to freeside was one devoid of any interruptions, save for a member of the king's gang who thanked them for helping around freeside and gave them a Stimpack.

But now the time had come and Six placed the money forth and after some moments the bot stopped its scanning "Credit checks passed, please enjoy your stay at New Vegas"

Moving out of the way the robot let Six and Winter walk towards the gate, when the gates opened both had to shield their eyes, Winter almost gasped when she saw the place and Six unashamedly gawked at the sight before him.

There on the middle of the dessert stood a city preserved in time, a view of what the old world once was. People of high status snickered amongst themselves as they saw the two young couple try to figure out where to go. But their snickers and giggles where soon silenced when a securitron approached them, no securitron ever approached anyone.

"Well look who it is, if it isn't my favorite duo! Welcome to New Vegas partners what do you think of it?" Viktor said snapping Six out of his shock.

"This place is amazing Viktor, where do I start?" he said, hoping Viktor would just point him to Benny but to his surprise Viktor signaled the tallest building in the strip, a giant 38 was printed everywhere on the building.

"The place to star partner is the lucky 38, the boss man wants to talk to you… both of you and I'm not lying when I say that this does not happen often so you better start walking, people are starting to notice you're not just an average waste lander, so I sugest you do as Mr. House wants and get moving" Viktor then moved back towards the Lucky 38 flanked by an army of his brethren. Six looked around and noticed that indeed many eyes where on them, not wanting to get into trouble and blow his chances to sneak attack Benny he placed a hand on Winter's shoulder and moved his head towards the tower.

The lucky 38 then opened its doors for the first time in a very long time, the commotion making both of them eager to enter the tower. Viktor led them inside as his wheels kicked up a small cloud of dust making it clear to both that this place had been deserted for quite a long time.

The elevator opened and in no time, they both heard the voice of Viktor say "Penthouse floor".

Six walked towards the windows and just admired the sight of Vegas at night; this was nothing like the world outside. A city of old and gold, its lights changing the very environment around it.

"This way sugars" another securitron said, a female one this time. Six nodded as he and Winter approached a giant monitor. At first nothing happened but after some static the face of a man dressed in a sharp business suit appeared.

Silence followed but then the man broke the silence "This meeting has been a long time coming hasn't it? You've come a long ways, literally and, I suspect, figuratively as well. I have to ask now that you've reached your destination, what do you think of what you see?"

Six hesitated for a moment but found the correct words to say "I've never seen a place like this"

Mr. House image flickered for a second but an answer quickly followed "Of course you haven't, Vegas has always been one of a kind, but the more interesting part is what you see down on the strip is just a fraction of the city's former glory, and yet more than an echo. I preserved its spirit. Or maybe you are referring to the lucky 38? The years haven't been kind to her but she still manages to impress"

Winter picked up on the pride that his words emanated and how could he not be proud, to her it seemed as if he was saying that he saved Vegas from nuclear annihilation and if he did… Winter was impressed.

"Why the VIP treatment? Im just a courier" Six said as he rubeed the back o his neck, to her surprise Mr. House chuckled.

"Oh don't be coy. You've been playing a high stakes game ever since Viktor dug you out of that grave back in good springs and don't you be afraid to admit it" Mr. House said, Winter looked back at Viktor. So that's why the robot was following them around, it was Mr. House's bidding that he did so.

And if he controlled Viktor, then that meant that Mr. House knew of her and her… peculiar entrance into the wasteland.

Six pondered for a moment and then looked up "I doubt that you invited me up here simply out of the goodness of your heart, let's get down to business, what do you say?"

"The business is this, one of my employees has stolen an item of extraordinary value from me, one that you happened to be carrying, and I want it recovered. Simple enough?"

Six smirked "Oh simple enough alright, I will get that son a bitch for what he robbed me"

"Excellent my only concern is the recovery of the platinum chip, Benny can be handled in whatever way you want and as a way to sweeten the deal I will pay yo four timed the delivery stipulated in your contract"

Six's eyes widened "Sure… I will do it"

"Good if you are going to strike I suggest you do it now, the Tops, Benny's casino, is having itself quite the party but you cannot enter like that I will have Viktor open the presidential suite, there should be some garments for both of you to disguise yourselves with and before I forget miss a moment if you would"

Six turned to look at Winter who gave him a nod, the courier left quickly planning his revenge, Winter remained waiting for Mr. House to speak but he only did when hew was sure that Six was out of the penthouse.

"Viktor has filled me in on your situation and if it were not for the video evidence I wouldn't have believed him, in your words what do you think of my world"

Winter grabbed a nearby chair and sat down "Horrible, how could you all have fallen so far? Is it true that there was world peace and then you all threw it all away" she asked and to her surprise Mr. House let out a tired sigh.

"I too ask myself that question, I predicted the apocalypse as an inevitable and by then I could not save my country, but I could save the city I loved and even that was not a perfect job, but for you to say that my world is horrible yours must be quite the paradise"

Winter bit her lip and shook her head "Remnant is almost deserted in population, we are on a constant war against creatures of your darkest imagination and… I fear that we maybe be walking down your path"

Mr. House's image did not change but his tone did, replaced by one that she had heard her own father use many times, the words of a businessman "Oh? Sounds like it would be beneficial for us to… discus this topic in more depth, but sadly the recovery of the platinum chip carries more weight, I will speak with the both of you later when the chip is recovered"

Winter narrowed her eyes but gave him a small wave as she left, wondering what interest would Mr. House have in Remnant, but for now that didn't matter both had walked away with nothing and yet with a lot. Mr. House now knew of a new world and had taken an interest on it for reasons winter could not understand why, he did not strike her as the type to do something without having a way to profit from it.

But Winter walked away with a good idea of what he could do to help her, he had stopped the destruction of Vegas, surely he could divert some researchers to help her get back home, his interest was simply a bonus in her eyes. She was not just a soldier, thanks to the father that she hated Winter was also a cold businesswoman.

A/N: Mr. House has entered the picture and with the opening of the lucky 38, the real show begins.

Thank for all the reviews!