Fallout New Vegas: Dazed and Confused

For Alissa

It only felt like yesterday that The Courier was left for dead. Now, dressed up as a cowboy in a continental suit, he was at The Tops Casino, face to face with the culprit; Benny. The Courier should've won the poker game against him, but a hidden ace in Benny's sleeve prevented him from getting his hands on the package that he was supposed to deliver to his recipient. Benny invited him to the Presidential Suite of the casino for some wine from the Ultra-Luxe Hotel. The Courier could smell something fishy, as Benny only seemed half-surprised by his sudden arrival. Suspecting a trap, he decided he'd play along for the minute.

The last person he'd expect to see in the suite was another; a woman dressed in a casual Merc Adventurer Outfit, a piece of apparel which consisted of a striped flannel shirt and sleeveless leather jacket with jeans. "I take it this isn't a part of the accommodations?" He asked.

Cassandra Ronen, also known as "The Black Viper", stood there in the flesh. While only in her 20s, she was deadly as ever, and on a career path to join the Rangers. Not to mention she was a deadly shot though and one of the 1st Recon's top assassins; racking 2nd in most consecutive kills.

She recently had been contracted by the New California Republic to obtain the Platinum Chip for them to bargain with; such as better conditions on the Strip and more funding. The fight with Caesar's Legion wasn't cheap after all...

She pulled out her signature black .44 and aimed it at the man well dressed before her. She narrowed her eyes and spoke softly. "Hold it right there. You reach for that gun I'll paint the walls with your brains. Hand over the Platinum Chip and we can both walk out of here."

The Courier didn't see this coming. He was usually the fastest gun in the West as far as he was concerned. For years he had traveled all the way from Navarro to The Divide and saw his fair share of conflict. But he felt this wasn't the time for fighting. Where bullets wouldn't do, his silver tongue could ease the situation.

"Now I don't know who told you what chica, but I'm the one who's been looking for the Platinum Chip. Who sent you?"

"Don't lie to me. I'll pull this trigger right now and loot it off your damn corpse. Then I'll find out whoever is close to you and kill them too, just to make a point."

She threatens and motions him to slowly set his gun down.

"We both know who sent me; the man who was robbed of his property. This is bigger than both of us, and you're a pawn in whoever hired you. But you can fix this and hand it over."

"The man robbed of his property? Lady, the only robbed man I know is Señor Robert House. He tasked me with delivering the Platinum Chip before Benny shot me." He said as he slowly walked to the pool table and started emptying his pockets. Of all the people who'd be in cahoots with Benny, The Courier didn't expect a representative of the NCR.

The New California Republic was the primary ruling body of the former American Southwest. It housed old world values of democracy and personal liberty, and brought stability to much of the wasteland. However, many citizens were discontent with President Kimball's political campaign, as recent efforts to annex New Vegas and claim Hoover Dam have been costly. Its colonization efforts also sparked controversy with outsiders.

"If you're doing his dirty work, you're just as much of a pawn as I am. What did that snake tell you?"

"House is the snake to the people. He allows crime to run rampant here and he sells out to both sides. Hell, the Legion would already be on The Strip if they weren't busy trying to enslave everyone." She would keep her gun pointed at him, but not aimed.

"Benny paid me good money to get that chip from you. But between you and me, Ambassador Crocker wants it, so I'm going to deliver. If Benny had it, he'd have no reason to beg the NCR for help."

"Que dijo?" He asked. He wondered why Benny would go through the trouble of hiring her to take the job while ditching his other accomplices. "I don't have the Platinum Chip. I just lost a game of Caravan to that swindling cheapskate trying to get it from him. If I had it, why would he send you to the same room as I?"

"Your rigor mortis on the headline baby. Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's rude to be poking your nose into other people's business?" A voice from the intercom said. It was Benny. Apparently he hadn't planned on Cassandra and The Courier to meet this soon, let alone at The Tops. Knowing that Benny had double crossed both of his former accomplices, it came as no surprise to the Courier if he were to do the same against him and Cass. "You disappoint me sugarcube, I expected someone like the Black Viper to put the man out of his misery already." Benny said.

"Benny, for the last time, I'm not sleeping with you. So cut the shit. Your triggermen already made a pass at me."

She headed to the door as she heard the elevator doors open.

"You really want to mess with me? Come and try it. I'll kill you no problem."

She glanced at The Courier and then back to the door. She always had her hunting rifle for a backup.

"You know I don't like having loose ends sugarcube. It makes me bluer than my suede shoes." Benny insulted as The Courier too heard footsteps outside the elevator doors. "I heard it coming a mile away that a motherfucking mailman cheated death on the radio. I really didn't want things to turn out this way, but now I gotta kill two birds with one stone."

"Eres un hombre muerto." The Courier said in Spanish, telling him he was a dead man.

"Baby, I don't speak Hispandex. I'm taking a permanent vacation to Nowheresville. That attitude of yours? Kinda why we're having this conversation. Do me a favor and stay dead okay?" Before the intercom shorted out. The Courier had to think quick or else they'd be toast. He could make some of the vodka at the kitchen into a makeshift molotov.

"Nobody double crosses the NCR. Nobody."

She warned. Suddenly bullets began to rip through the doors. She flipped over a table and took cover behind it, waiting for triggermen to start pouring through.

"Get your ass over here! Those white tuxedo losers are here!"

As soon as the Triggermen pounded through the doors, The Courier hid behind a corner and waited for the opportune moment. As soon as he lit the molotov, he threw it at one of them. "Hope you like atomic cocktails!" He said as one of them caught fire. That was enough for The Courier to draw and fire, taking one of them out.

She would then move from cover and quickly kill 3 of them with rapid headshots. Before sliding back into cover. Of course there was more that came through the door. Some with melee weapons. They would charge the NCR woman since she was closest. And also because she had no CQC weapons. Hopefully the courier saw this and decided to help, even if she'd threatened him just moments ago. She was dangerous...but everyone had a weakness. Hopefully hers wasn't melee combat.

Fortunately, The Courier was skilled at close quarters combat, as he often took part in bar brawls. He drew his spiked knuckles, Love and Hate, of which he won fair and square. In an instant he socked one of them right in the eye before punching another in the gut. He dodged a cleaver before giving the attacker a roundhouse.

She watched briefly as the courier dispatched the goons. She worked her own magic in shooting several in the head and reloading before their bodies even hit the floor. A hail of bullets whizzed past her and cut her cheek from the sharp material being taken off her cover.

"Dammit...that bastard is gonna pay..."

She mumbled. Seemed one of the bosses was there wielding a .45 Thompson and unloading at anything that moved.

The Courier took over as well to avoid the hail of bullets that was hurdling at them. He had to time it perfectly. He waited until the stopped shooting to reload and then threw the leftover cleaver at him, taking him out in one shot. He wiped some blood off of his jacket.

"We need to get out of here. Someone downstairs is bound to have heard us." He said as he was running low on bullets. He searched for another way out of the Presidential suite. "If I were Benny, where else would I slither off too?" He asked before he found a secret door hidden behind a bookcase which led to a series of tunnels leading through and under The Tops. He switched on his flashlight, on his wrist-mounted mini computer known as a Pip-Boy. "Vamonos."

"Right..."

She would stand up and dust herself off. Blood slowly trickled down her cheek as she followed. More footsteps could be heard behind them.

"This is a damn mess...all of it..." She said mostly to herself and kept her revolver drawn.

"I gotta get back to the NCR outpost here on the Strip. Any idea how to get there from here?"

"Not a damn clue." He said as they made their way through the maintenance tunnels of The Tops, which led to a secret room guarded by a Securitron named Yes Man, which Benny apparently stole and hacked. Yes Man had a tendency to be brutally honest with every detail regarding Benny and his little coup against Mr. House. Were it not for his knave sense of loyalty The Courier would've considered him a useful ally for the time being.

No sooner did they find themselves back on the streets of The Strip via a manhole.

"After that little fight, I bet the NCR is gonna be looking for us. Why not come spend the night at the High-Roller Suite at the Lucky 38 until things settle down?" He asked her. He wanted to make sure they were safe, and introduce her to his allies thus far.

"Mr. House and I aren't on good terms, especially since I'm NCR." She replied, following him out. "Oddly enough, I was tasked as a Courier for the Mojave Express to carry an inconspicuous object across the wastes; a teddy bear named Sergeant Teddy." She scoffs. "Besides, the NCR needs to be looking for me, but Benny's goons will be too. So I probably should sleep in the Barracks..."

With Benny's connections, she could easily die at the Lucky 38.

"I'm a Courier myself, Number Six as a matter of fact. Anyways, if you want to sleep in the barracks tonight that's fine. But I bet my bottom dollar Veronica's cooking up some Brahmin Burgers. Craig Boone is already making friends, but I suppose it's your choice compadre." The Courier said in attempts to be persuasive.

While he and Mr. House had their disagreements, he respected the man. One of the reasons why crime was so rampant throughout the streets was because Mr. House had no full control due to a missing piece of the puzzle; The Platinum Chip.

The operation concerning the Platinum Chip was puzzling. Six couriers in total were tasked by The Mojave Express to deliver a random object across the desert wasteland. Five of them were merely decoys, while the sixth, was tasked with delivering the Chip to Mr. House all the way from Sunnyvale, California. Unfortunately, The Courier was intercepted by Benny; House's former protege, who shot him in the head at Goodsprings Cemetery and left him with a case of selective amnesia. Had it not been for the efforts of the town's own Doc Brown, and Spaghetti Western Securitron; Victor, The Courier would have kicked the bucket a long time ago.

"Brahmin burgers? Been awhile since I had something other than MREs. And Boone is there? Yeah, I remember that guy back when we served together. I used to be his spotter before that piece of shit Manny took my place. I went to Ranger school for a week before the Legion advanced and they sent me back."

She brushed some of her curly hair from her face.

"You make it hard to say no, but I have to report to my COs. I'll come as soon as the sunrise hits. We'll track Benny from there."

"Sounds like a plan then. I'll meet you outside the gate of The Strip. Buenas Noches." He said before he headed inside the Lucky 38. He reported his missed opportunity to Mr. House, who wasn't pleased, but being a businessman, still maintained a sense of chivalry between them both.

Robert Edwin House; the self-appointed autocrat of the Strip, was an enigmatic entrepreneur with an ego, rumored to have eyes and ears everywhere thanks to his securitrons. He was the sole founder of RobCo Industries, and single handedly shielded Vegas from the nukes of the Atomic War. Over two centuries had passed since, and no one knew the secret science behind Mr. House's longevity, no one but Benny and The Courier. Mr. House had plans for New Vegas, using the funds from the neighboring casinos to forge his own idealist vision of the future.

Come morning, The Courier and Cassandra met outside the gates to The Strip in pursuit of Benny, but they hadn't any leads yet. Maybe The Kings knew where he went; that gang of Elvis Presly impersonators saw the King of Rock n Roll as their idol. Ironically his name was lost to history. The Courier did some business with them in the past, wherein he gained a forged passport to enter The Strip. The Kings practically owned Freeside before the NCR began to occupy. Since then, both sides had clashed in turf wars.

Cass was there in her uniform this time; 1st recon beret, patrol sunglasses, and her mantle armor, closest thing to a ghillie the NCR offered.

Upon meeting with the Courier, she didn't say much, other than she needed his help talking with the Kings to attempt to negotiate terms given their rocky relationship with the NCR. She was prepared to end it with bullets if necessary. Upon reaching the door of their den, which used to be a School of Impersonation, two Kings; each adorning a Jailhouse Rocker attire and a greaser haircut like most, started to give her lip.

"What's a lost NCR puppydog like you doin' over here? Shouldn't you be harassing the locals or somethin?"

"Hands off hermanos, she's with me." The Courier said, dressed as a bounty hunter. He knew that the relationship between the Kings and the NCR wasn't all daisies. The two of them stood aside and let them through the door, knowing who he was. The air in the lobby smelled like hair grease and cigarettes. There, on his chair in the theater sat their leader; The King.

"Well well, look who it is. How's the high life?" He asked.

"Higher than I anticipated, chief. Thanks for the tip." The Courier replied. "By the way I was hoping you could help us with something."

"Maybe, as soon as you tell me why you got an NCR tagging along like a hound dog."

"Colonel James Hsu has requested a truce with the Kings. We're here to stay and...well...we need good relations with the people. Who better to start with than the Kings?"

She cracked a smile, then cautiously looked around as The King cocked an eyebrow. She had one hand resting by her holster at all times. It was a habit of course. Sudden movements could easily end this in a bloodbath. The air was thick with tension.

"I know we both got ourselves on the wrong foot, but if we don't get these turf wars resolved the NCR is gonna crack down harder. To be perfectly blunt, none of my soldiers want that. Our C.O. 's however would rather be done with the headaches even if it means we lose good people."

She was speaking sincerely, but also cautiously, with one hand to shake and one to shoot as the saying went.

"Well as much as I appreciate your concern, I got a suspicious mind. The NCR has been squatting on Freeside like nobody's business, and my boys ain't too happy about it. What's in it for the Kings?"

"I would imagine you're having a hard time being pushed around by squatters." The Courier said. "But many citizens in Freeside are impoverished, and have nowhere else to go but into the Mojave. The NCR wishes to combat this poverty. If you agree to this truce, they'll extend their supply line to all of Freeside. You'll no longer need to charge anyone for water."

"That's mighty tempting. You're sure they can be trusted?"

"If there's anyone I trust within the NCR, it's her, chief." The Courier said. Knowing that things might turn ugly, he was ready to draw his colt .45.

"I say we make our stand here and now before we go making a huge mistake." Pacer said as he entered the scene.

"Pacer, now's not the time to do this." The King said.

"Fine, I'll do it myself." He said before drawing his pistol. The Courier did the same with his and pointed it right at the tip of his forehead. "I'd think twice about what you're doing, baboso."

"No one tells the Kings what to do. This is our turf. We own it."

"Tell me Pacer, what does it mean to be a King?"

"It means doing what's right!"

"And you really think this is the right thing? Freeside doesn't need any more infighting."

She instantly widened her eyes and kicked a table over, diving behind it and aiming at anyone with a gun drawn, besides the courier of course. This had all happened in seconds.

"The only way Freeside is gonna recover is with the help of the NCR. I know you Kings always had to fight off squatters to make a living here...but things can be different with our help. A shootout here will only end badly; the Kings and all of Freeside wiped out for NCR expansion. Is that the future you want?"

She questioned and squinted her eyes. Cass knew what it was like in Freeside. She may not have grown up there, but she used to live here; hardly surviving among the rest of the lowlifes when the NCR barely had a presence in New Vegas.

Pacer slowly let his gun down and shrugged his shoulders. "I want a future where we can live how we want, rich or poor, without a case of the G.I. Blues."

"You will. There's enough turf in Freeside for both of you. Reconsider baby." The Courier said, quoting Elvis. As soon as Pacer turned the other cheek, the others holstered their weapons as well, including The Courier.

"You've got yourself a silver tongue there friend." The King said. "That could've been a major catastrophe."

"Glad to be of help, chief." The Courier replied.

"No kidding."

She would slowly holster her gun and set the table back.

"I can't promise full cooperation from everyone...but the majority of us who've seen action want a place to call home."

She moved next to the courier.

"I won't be personally overseeing it, but I will be doing what I can while I'm on assignment. We'll need your word and cooperation with anything we may need. In return, we'll help where we can, I promise."

"Sounds like a plan to me." The King said. "I suppose it's time we make some changes around Freeside."

"That being said, we need your help with one last thing."

"What might that be?"

"We're on the hunt for a backstabbing rattlesnake named Benny. Ever heard of him?"

"Haven't heard a thing. But my dog here; Rex, he might help. He's got a nose like no other. Tell you what, if you can fetch a new brain for him, he's yours."

"That's very generous of you, chief." The Courier said. Rex was an unusual canine; a cyberdog, one of the last of his kind, manufactured by the United States Military before the Atomic War. None could tell where he came from, save for the insignia of the bull on his metallic hipplate.

Perhaps Rex could pick up the scent of Benny. Days earlier while in pursuit, The Courier resolved a hostage situation between the NCR and a group of raiders at Boulder City, one of which turned out to be Benny's former accomplice. He gave The Courier Benny's lighter and told him to kick his ass as a favor.

"That's a good deal. Yeah sure we'll get your dog a new brain."

She nods and turns to the Courier.

"I know a place. Surprise surprise, they hate me there too. Should we go there next?"

"Sure. Maybe after the transplant he'll be able to track down Benny for us." He said as he patted the head of Rex in a gesture of affection. The Courier loved dogs, but Rex hated people wearing hats, maybe because it rhymes with molerats; critters he loved to hunt. After they exited the King's School of Impersonation he followed her to wherever she had in mind. He was wondering where they'd get a new brain for Rex.

Cass would lead him to Mount Charleston northwest of New Vegas; a former ski resort where the Super Mutants and their cousin Nightkin had taken refuge and set a spiked wall as a barrier. As soon as they approached the gateway, bullets whizzed by and they dove behind a nearby rock for cover. The Super Mutants at the gate held their fire as soon as their leader; Marcus raised his hand. Cass didn't return fire yet since the bullets had ceased, but were still aimed at her.

"No NCR allowed here, outsiders. Turn back or I can't restrain my fellow kin." Marcus said, standing at the gate.

"We're not here with the NCR, gigante. We're here on other business." The Courier said as he slowly got up from cover and had both of his hands in the air. He knew he was little of a match for an entire town of Super Mutants and Nightkin; Jacobstown, which sounded quite peaceful for what inhabited the place.

Super Mutants and Nightkin were once human, enlarged and mutated as a result of the Forced Evolutionary Virus; a bioweapon developed in secret before the nukes fell. As expected, the FEV escaped containment in the aftermath and polluted parts of the wasteland. Although most Super Mutant races were feared for their unhinged psychotic rage and insatiable bloodlust, not all were beyond reason. Marcus was one of them.

"We're looking for a doctor who can help this dog." The Courier further clarified.

"A…doc-tor? NCR wouldn't be here unless it benefited them." A Nightkin said, narrowing his eyes between the two. Cass thought about saying something but decided to let her partner handle the smooth talking.

"Doctor Henry is inside the Lodge. I will escort you there. But the girl stays out here." Marcus said.

"Her name is Cass. She don't mean any harm parcero." He said as he walked out from behind the rock with Rex and headed into Jacobstown.

Doctor Henry was busy doing some research on developing a cure for Nightkin Schizophrenia. When Al walked inside with Rex, the numerous Mutants gave them a lot of odd stares.

"Regardless, she is with the NCR. My kin don't take too kindly to them." Marcus replied. "It would be wise for her to remain outside."

"Yeah! NCR…make me angry!" Another Nightkin shouted.

As Cass decided to remain outside, Doctor Henry was still working until The Courier tapped his shoulder. He adjusted his glasses and turned around. "Yes, yes what is it? I'm very busy." He asked.

"Pardon the intrusion Doc. I hope you don't mind doing me a favor. This dog here is Rex, and he's in need of a brain transplant." The Courier said.

"As I said, I'm quite busy. But, if you're willing to do me an errand or two, I think I can oblige."

"Name it."

"You're an eager fella. I like that. You see, I'm trying to find a cure for schizophrenia which has affected much of Nightkin around these parts. However the Nightstalker attacks have been putting a dent in my research. You should talk to Lily about it." The doctor explained.

Cass was in a state down outside. A hand still holding her revolver and looking at all the mutants aimed at her. She figured she could probably win.

Outside, Lily Bowen; the Elderly Nightkin was standing by her brahmin, gently petting one of their two heads as the others grazed nearby.

Upon meeting soft-hearted Lily Bowen, The Courier was immediately bestowed the name of Jimmy; one of her late grandchildren before the Atomic War. He agreed to aid her in hunting the Nightstalkers; horrid canid serpentine crossbreeds. These Nightstalkers were attacking her brahmin from a nest in the cliffs of Jacobstown, and they hunted in packs. Fortunately, Lily's superhuman senses and The Courier's quick reflexes gave them the upper hand.

After exterminating the Nightstalker Nest, Doctor Henry finally gave Rex a brain transplant with a spare one that he kept in a jar. The Courier and Lily decided to join up with Cassandra to not keep her waiting any longer. "Becky? Becky, is that you dear?" Lily asked as she approached her.

Cass would wave her hand dismissively. "Ehm, no, I'm not Becky. I'm Cassandra."

"Aww, don't be ridiculous Becky. Jimmy here has told me all about you. The wasteland is quite harsh for you two dearies. " Lily said as she patted her head. The Courier smirked at Cass, tapping his finger to his temple as a gesture of Lily's apparent schizophrenia. Mentally ill as she was, she was still kind at heart.

Cass silently mumbled something as she was patted. She hated being touched in general, but she'd let this one slide. She saw The Courier tap his head and knew what he meant.

She would unsling her scoped hunting rifle from her back, but just held it with one hand and let her other hand rest at her side.

"So the dog is good to go, Courier? I'll have to warn NCR patrols of the warm welcome Jacobstown has for me. They aren't as lenient as I am to being shot at. Also, what's our plan now? I could go searching for some leads down in Freeside."

"Si. Rex is good as new. And by the way, you can call me Al." He said to her before pulling out Benny's lighter and handing it to Rex. Upon sniffing the lighter, the canine's nose began to pick up the scent. The hunt was on once again.

"Right. Cass is my name, if you wanna use it." She shrugs. One Rex began to lead them, she followed. Her hunting rifle was still idling at her side. Though she could change that quickly if they were attacked.

After bidding Lily farewell for the time being, the duo made their way south then west around New Vegas. The sun had begun to set over the horizon by the time they got to Novac; a small town northeast of Nelson on 95, named after the motel's 'No Vacancy' sign, lost the rest of its letters. It was late and Al was growing tired.

"I have a room here at the Dino Dee-Lite Motel. We can stop here for the night. If you want I can sleep on the couch."

"I got couch duty. Besides, I know I'll be restless anyways."

She offered in return. Still pretty awake. But the signs of tiredness showed on her face. The pair made their way inside to the room and she closed the door behind them. Locking it. Immediately she took a knee on the seat by the window, peering out of it with a 1000 yard stare. It would be a miracle if she got any sleep at all.

"If you insist. Buenas noches mi corazón."

It was an old phrase Al's mom used to put him and his sister to sleep. After having himself some Cram and stripping down to his undergarments, he crawled under the covers with the radio slightly humming. Rex meanwhile crawled up to Cass and sniffed her hand before cuddling to her.

She was in a trance seemingly and didn't even notice Rex. She would stand watch all night. Awake and running off of nothing but her own determination. Whether Al woke up to lecture her or not was up to him, but regardless, she would simply keep her weapon in her hands. And stripped down to her service pants and her tank top.

Al stirred in the middle of the night to see that she was still keeping watch at the window. "Why don't you get some shut-eye Cass? Can't catch Benny with circles under your eyes."

"I've stayed awake longer than this. I'm used to it."

She said softly, a cigarette hanging from her mouth. It illuminated her face a bit, but that was all in the very dark room. The smoke blew out the window as she took a soft puff. Then an exhale. Before placing it back in her mouth.

"Besides. You need to sleep more than I do. Tomorrow I'll be the one sleeping, and you keep watch…if we're still traveling together, that is."

"Okay then." He said as he went back to sleep as did Rex as well. The quiet hum of the radio kept on through the night.

The next morning, after sharing some roast gecko with Cass and Rex, Al continued south. They soon realized they were heading into Legion territory. When they came to Cottonwood Cove they were greeted by a single Frumentarius; a Legion spy, with a skinned fox hood. "Ave, true to Caesar. I remember your face, Courier. Our great leader has been expecting you. The NCR dog and that traitorous mutt will do well to keep their distance from us, lest they suffer the fate of Nipton." He said as he stared them down.

The Legion was a ruthless totalitarian dictatorship, led by a cult of personality named Edward Sallow. Once a citizen of the NCR, he toiled as an anthropologist. He was sent on an expedition with two others to the Grand Canyon, where they were captured and held for ransom by an unskilled tribe known as the Blackfoots. Against objections from his accomplices, Sallow taught the tribe the art of warfare. With this newfound knowledge, the Blackfoots conquered and ransacked their rivals. In his haughtiness, Edward rose to power, modeling his new Legion after the Roman Empire, and crowned himself Caesar. Since then, they've been cutting an unforgiving swath across the Wasteland. Caesar was determined to go to war with the NCR and wipe them off the face of the earth. The town of Nipton had now all but been reduced to ashes, and its denizens; crucified.

Al was wondering if Rex's nose was rendering the smell right. Did Benny truly come this way? The Frumentarius presented him with an amulet called the Mark of Caesar to grant him safe passage among the Legionnaires that awaited near the Colorado River.

"Listen Al, if I take another step forward, I'm shooting everything that moves. Either we leave together, or I'm leaving myself." She warned.

In spite of the fact her armor was bearing the NCR logo on it, she was surprised she hadn't been shot yet. But she was sure it would change.

"Comprende. I've got a bad feeling about this." He said. "Give Boone my regards. I'll be back as soon as possible."

As he crossed the river and hiked up Fortification Hill, the sight of slaves repulsed him. He considered it a miracle Caesar hadn't recognized him after all these years. But for the slaves of the Legion, names hardly mattered. No sooner did he discover that Benny himself was captured and restrained inside the tent of the tyrant.

Caesar; the Great Bull of the East, sat upon his furred throne like a diocletian dictator, watching the Courier's every move. Al stayed his hand, as he was outmatched and outclassed by the numerous Praetorian guards that surrounded him.

"So…you're the Courier I've heard so much about. I admit, you've got yourself quite a reputation to uphold." Caesar said, unknowing of the Courier's true identity.

"How would you know of me, Mighty Caesar?" Al bluffed. He had to keep a poker face, as he was facing the very man whose armies conquered and enslaved his family from Winslow, Arizona years before.

"I've got eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing escapes the watch of my Frumentarii. They informed me that a ragtime cowboy single-handedly took on the Powder Gangers and lived to tell the tale."

The Powder Gangers were a group of convicts that outlawed themselves against the NCR and wore the title with pride. Unlike most raiders and bandits, they were well organized. They recently staged a mass breakout from the NCR Correctional Facility by smuggling gunpowder from the Quarry. The little town of Goodsprings became a target for the Gangers when a refugee sought protection. In the gunfight that shortly followed, the townspeople prevailed thanks to the help of the Courier. But Al knew that more Gangers would likely be sent to kill them all. In the days that followed, he tracked them down to the prison they had overrun, and left no survivors. Since that day, Al became known across the Wasteland as "El Segador"; The Reaper.

"A man shoots you in the head, and your first instinct is to track him down the entire Mojave Wasteland tooth and nail? When you want something done right, you might as well do it yourself."

"You summoned me here to kill Benny?"

"Your thirst for vengeance is justified, but I have another use for you, and you'd be wise to accept it."

Caesar tasked the Courier with destroying Mr. House's secret Securitron army, hidden within a vast bunker located underneath Fortification Hill. But rather than destroying them, Al upgraded them using the Platinum Chip confiscated from Benny. Caesar, upon feeling the ground quake, took that as a sign that the job was done and as a reward, gave the Courier the choice to dictate Benny's execution.

Rather than dying at the hands of Al, Benny was fed to the Legion's bloodthirsty hounds. When Al collected his clothes and gun as trophies, he pondered what he had just done, as his choice was very much what a butcher like Lanius would do. The thought burdened his mind all the way back to New Vegas.

He arrived back at the Lucky 38 almost a day later to see how Cassandra was getting along with the gang. As expected, Veronica was making some Brahmin burgers.

She was casually conversing with Boone, who was smiling a little for a change. Being both NCR and 1st recon meant a lot of things to talk about. Upon seeing Al enter, she would stand up and walk to him.

"How'd it go? You put a bullet in the checkerboard and the bald asshole?"

"Better than that." He said as he tossed Benny's clothes to her and handed her his pistol. "He's dog food. Caesar will meet his end soon. There were too many for me."

Al greeted Cassandra to the rest of his friends, including two women of the wastes named Cassidy and Veronica.

Sharon Cassidy, was once a loner who spent most of her days dousing her heartaches in copious amounts of Whiskey. When Al came across her, he agreed to help her look into the murders of her caravan. Revisiting their looted corpses, Cassidy suspected that the Crimson Caravan Company and Van Graffs were responsible, and was prepared to end it in a shootout. Al proposed to incarcerate them instead. Since Al had worked for the CCC in the past, it was easy for him to sneak into the Main Office at night and steal evidence from the safe.

The notorious Van Graff's however were more difficult, as they were in cahoots with the Gun Runners; the NCR's top supplier of arms in the Mojave. Their HQ, dubbed The Silver Rush, was heavily guarded. So Al had to make do with a Stealth Boy; a pre-war camouflage device to infiltrate and steal the evidence. As soon as they could, he and Cassidy presented proof of the conspiracy to Ranger Jackson, who led them with an escort to warrant their arrest. The boss was soon imprisoned and CCC underwent a change of leadership. As predicted, their visit with the Van Graffs ended in a shootout, with Ranger Jackson taking a gunshot wound. Since then, Cassidy has been tagging along with her new bff, Veronica.

Veronica Santangelo; the loneliest girl in the Mojave, was a journeyman scribe for the Brotherhood of Steel; a post-war order founded on the idea of preservation of old world tech, mainly weaponry. Some called them quasi-religious fanatics, others referred to them as domestic terrorists. Veronica however was none of these, which unfortunately led to dissent within the ranks. She spent most of her time at Trading Post 188 north of Novac.

After their most devastating defeat at the hands of the NCR, Elder McNamara issued a Lockdown to prevent further loss of life. Veronica saw no future in this, and neither did the Courier. So with her help, he convinced the Elder to lift the Lockdown, which almost resulted in a munity. Fortunately, Al was able to defuse the situation. Veronica has since then proven herself to be a reliable friend.

Now was the big turning point for the future of New Vegas. Al was in possession of the Platinum Chip. The fate of the Mojave Wasteland rested in the hands of his gang. As they had their dinner they discussed what they should do. Boone suggested taking out Mr. House plain and simple for the NCR. Cassidy said that Yes Man could replace Mr. House for an Independent New Vegas. Veronica debated that they should spare Mr. House to keep the rival families in check.

"So Cassandra, how's the Lucky 38 treating you so far?"

Cass suggested killing Mr. House and then using the Securitrons to wipe Vegas of its criminal families to make it a safe haven.

"Better than any place I've been to. Beds are too comfy for me though. Not used to it. Guess the back pain is what makes the long hauls so...unique, I guess. Other than that, these bright ass rooms hurt my eyes. And it is expensive to buy anything here. More like a vacation spot than a residence."

She was honest, but not ungrateful. She liked to think she didn't have to watch her back here, but she would anyway. It's the thought that counts. She couldn't remember when she slept well last.

"Guess it's alright other than that. No politics, no war, just relaxation. Reminds me of what I can do when I get old. But not now."

"Life on the road will do that to ya." Cassidy said as she took a bite of her burger. "But after a while you'll be getting yourself some sweet dreams."

"Ain't that the truth." Al said. For most of his life the beds he slept in were subpar, but this was a whole other experience. He almost pitied Mr. House for putting so much trust into him. At first, Al was content with doing his bidding as a Courier and delivering the Platinum Chip. But now that he had gotten a good look at the state of the Mojave Wasteland, he started having second thoughts.

"Veronica. You're with the Brotherhood of Steel, yes? How good are they with tech?" He asked her.

"They're the experts." She replied.

"You think your fellow paisanos' could hack into this Platinum Chip?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I just got myself a wild idea."

"Oh great. Not another thing I can't help with. Guess I'll take apart and assemble my gun all day again." Cass said, already finished with her food ahead of everyone else. Like Boone.

"My opinion? The Brotherhood are gonna keep it once they see it's tech and encrypted. House is probably gonna come down on us. For all we know he's got the chip bugged." She advised and stood up, brushing curly hair behind her ear.

"The Brotherhood trusts me, as does Veronica. Any friend of mine is a friend of hers." Al said. "I know you've had rivalries in the past, but I hope you can both put that aside with the Legion breathing down our necks." The Courier attempted to persuade Cass into joining him on his most current endeavor.

"Please, not another bs speech about peace and whatever. I lost friends to the Brotherhood, and they weakened our presence with their foolish obsession with the past." She would throw up her hands and scoff.

"The Legion don't interest the Brotherhood because all they do is bang rocks together. If you think they'll help us against them, you're crazy. Besides, even if I came with you, they'd kill me or imprison me. Whatever those freaks do I want no part of."

And with that she stormed off to the guest room and sighs. She was highly emotional about the Brotherhood and the Legion. To think Al had peacefully interacted with both enemies drove her nuts.

"Cassandra, I understand why you hold a grudge against them. But the Mojave has seen enough conflict between the two. Their obsession with the past stems from their thirst for old world knowledge."

Al stands up from the table.

"I've seen the Legion's numbers across the Colorado Plateau. Trust me when I say they're not as ill equipped as you think. I believe that the Brotherhood's technology can be put to good use. They're not freaks, they're good men and women fighting for the wrong cause."

Knowing she was emotional about both factions, seeing how he succeeded in passing through both of them unscathed must've put a dent in her pride. "I know how you feel."

Cass didn't say anything in response. She would simply just slowly begin to strip her weapon apart; expertly. Though she would need to clean it at some point today, she wanted to make sure nothing was broken first. It helped her get her mind off of things. She disagreed with what he said, but she hated to argue; as that's why she went to 1st recon. Other than Al, Boone was the only person she talked to outside of HQ. While she was still a private, Cass' former spotter died in a Legion ambush while they were on a scouting mission. Afterwards, she was put on extra duty to recover, but secretly blamed herself.

The Courier, kept silent, figured she was cleaning her weapon to distract herself and avoid an argument. He tried being a hero in the past, and it didn't always work in his favor.

Before he was a Courier, Alejandro Elias Donato escaped Caesar's Legion as a slave. Deathly sick from exhaustion, he was recovered by a caravan heading up to New Cannan, Utah. Their missionary, Joshua Graham, took Al under his wing, and taught him the art of wasteland survival.

After his departure from New Cannan, Al took up his new life as a Courier for the Mojave Express. He walked along the West as far as he could, away from the Legion, keeping his true name a secret to elude them, wandering endlessly in the hopes to escape his past. But deep down, he knew that one day, his past would come to face him.

As a child, Cass too was enslaved by the Legion; virtually used as a toy. And much like Al, she had little recollection of her own past. She was only 8 when she killed her first man, and was used as Caesar's own punching bag. Their laws kept her from being sexually abused while she was a child.

But when she came of age, the Legionnaires planned to make her into their own personal was also the day she escaped with her life along the Colorado River. It was a miracle none of the monstrous aquatic Lakelurks took an interest to feast on her famished form, as they were occupied with the more savory Legionnaires that pursued her.

Boone walked into the room to provide her some comfort. He empathized with Cassandra by telling her about the tragic abduction of his wife to the Legion, moreover how he was the one to pull the trigger to end her suffering. He thought he'd forever live alone as a vagrant until his newfound companionship with Al brought him a sense of fulfillment, and provided a bigger picture of the Mojave.

In a gesture of friendship, Alejandro offered both of them a Sunset Sarsaparilla.

Boone was right. Even if she disagreed, she needed to gain closure for the unavenged friends she'd lost to the Mojave, and to defend the best hope for that she would need to set aside her dissent. She put her rifle back together and sighs, standing up.

"Fine...I'll go with. But if they tell me to disarm I'm not going to."

She then grabs the sarsaparilla and uncaps it, drinking half and offering the rest to Al.

Al drank the rest of the sasparilla before heading to bed that day with her. He was glad she had agreed to tag along for the time being.

Alejandro was starting to admire her patriotic spirit, something which was lacking in the Mojave. Her unbroken resilience was nothing short of remarkable.

The next morning, Cassidy helped Veronica cook some Gecko Egg Omlettes for breakfast before they headed out. Alejandro dressed up in his favorite attire; a Courier Duster, Aviators, a Bolero cowboy hat, and at his sides he carried a .308 hunting rifle named Pacencia, and a sawed off shotgun. When they exited the Lucky 38, they employed the help of Yes Man to tag along, as they needed his data to download him onto the Platinum Chip.

"So you got any plans once they discover the chip is more advanced than the toasters they've been studying the past 100 years?"

She asked as she followed him, gun drawn but resting upside down on her shoulder. Her other hand hung idly at her side. She wore her first recon beret and her NCR dress attire, which she hated due to the little protection it offered. But at least she looked nice.

"I love toasters. I think they're practical, but quite poetic. I once heard of a toaster who wanted to burn the world like a giant slice of bread." Yes Man said in all his offbeat humor.

"Elder McNamara is a cautious man, but I'm sure he can be reasoned with; unlike our previous one." Veronica said, referring to Father Elijah. His controversial fanaticism and pragmatic megalomania were unmatched by any to this day, even Caesar. Before his exile, the former Elder once sacrificed a whole battalion to defend the Poseidon Energy Plant from the NCR, which was rumored to house control over a pre-war orbital superweapon with unimaginable firepower; ARCHIMEDES II.

Veronica spoke the passphrase into the intercom of the bunker, "Klaatu barata niktu", before they were allowed inside. The Brotherhood were suspicious of the NCR representative that followed. Fortunately they didn't have to turn over any weapons. They approached the Elder on the second sublevel.

"I trust you and Veronica have a good reason to bring one of her type down here?" He asked, skeptic.

"A very good reason, camarado. This doesn't just involve the fate of New Vegas, but the Mojave as well."

Upon revealing the Platinum chip, Alejandro said he planned to use it in the fight against the Legion. At first, the Elder was confident the Legion's technological inferiority was no cause for alarm. To persuade him, Al uncoupled his Pip-Boy from his wrist which showed Roman numerals carved into his skin, revealing him a former slave. He described their massive expanse across the wastes, their reputation for uninventing tech, and setting humanity back to the stone age. The Elder seemed convinced for the time being, so long as they did them one last favor; to plant a remote transmitter atop Black Mountain.

Cass had to bite her tongue, but she shot daggers at him through her stare alone. She shook her head and quietly sighed. Black Mountain meant another mutant incident. If Jacobstown heard about it, there was no judging what they'd do; a peaceful settlement wiped out as far as she knew. Since the only way through, was on the road. Along the human-hating mutant trail.

Black Mountain was a different type of refuge for Super Mutants, a different, less peaceful, more savage tribe of them. Alejandro heard the god-awful news broadcasts coming from that mountain and figured this mission would be beneficial to both the Brotherhood and the Mojave. Jacobstown, isolated as it was, cared little for any other settlement outside of their own, including Black Mountain. After resupplying their ammo, Veronica, Al, Cassandra, and Yes Man made their way out of the bunker and through the back way towards the mountain.

Cass hadn't known of Jacobstown's current affiliation with any other mutant settlements. She would walk towards the mountain and sigh.

"Should we go in guns blazing, sneak, or try to negotiate? Because I'm only dressed for the latter 2 options. Unless you want me perched up on a hill providing sniper support." She said and shrugged; not even looking at Veronica. The air was still pretty tense.

"We could always ask nicely." Yes Man said with bland clueless optimism. Alejandro sighed and used his binoculars to examine the road ahead. There were a couple guard posts with three at each. He came up with a plan. "I got it."

"Cassandra, you stand guard and provide sniper support a few dozen yards behind us. Veronica will be the infantry and I will assist her from behind. Yes Man will have our six. We'll try to keep them in a single file line for you to line up the shots." He said. Veronica was currently dressed in heavy metal armor, which was more flexible than power armor and fireproof, but more vulnerable as well. Alejandro had his rifle Pacencia and a sawed off shotgun for close quarters combat.

"Hmm...I'll snipe from the sides instead. That way I have more angles on them and not your back. Because I'm not gonna be weaving bullets through your arm hairs."

She would run off ahead of them and begin scaling the mountains. She was actually a surprisingly good climber. And once she was at the top of a peak, she gave a large wave to signal him. Then she set up and laid down on her stomach; getting ready.

Alejandro and Veronica waited behind some rocks before he gave the signal. Veronica charged with her Power Fist in hand to draw out the Super Mutants. Al took out the first one charging with a headshot before the second made it to Veronica, who she tackled with her melee weapon. In one strike she broke its ribs and crushed its lungs. The third was carrying a flamethrower. They'd have to be careful.

The flamethrower mutant had his flame tank shot. She then shot him in the head, which caused him to stumble back towards a few other mutants and explode, killing them and himself. A Nightkin appeared behind the pair and would start swinging at Yes Man who engaged him in combat, but then his head exploded when Cass shot him. And he fell to the ground easily. She would need an Anti-Material rifle at some point, or so thought so at least.

One of the items was a machine gun dropped from one of the Super Mutants. Veronica decided to make use of it and began to mow down whatever stood in her way at the second checkpoint. One of them rushed through her charging towards Al, fired his sawed off shotgun which sent its innards flying. There was an anti-material rifle in a crate at the second checkpoint.

Cass would have to slide down off the mountain to the group once the area was clear.

"I'm out of ammo. Mutants had a squad behind me that nearly killed me. Do you guys find anything useful down here?"

Alejandro gave her the Anti-Material rifle he found along with some ammo that matched the gun. They were near the domes of the mountain, which meant they were getting close to the radio shack and the source of the heinous broadcast.

"Good luck guys...before you get inside I'll join you."

She would pat his shoulder and quickly move back to a sniping position. She was familiar with this weapon system; and happy to have it. These fuckers were expensive.

Indeed the Anti-Material rifle was one of the more expensive firearms in the whole Mojave. The Gun Runners put a hefty price on those things.

As Alejandro and Veronica advanced up the mountain, machine gun and rifle in hand, there was another Super Mutant stationed on a radio tower with a missile launcher dubbed Annabelle. It fired a rocket at them that Al and Veronica had to dodge. Yes Man however wasn't so lucky and had his only wheel blown off from under him.

"Well what do you know? I'm still alive." Yes Man said deadpanning through his crack monitor.

Cass climbed up and reached a good vantage point upon a cliffside. She loaded her new rifle before firing into the head of the mutant, its head exploding in just a single shot. The sound of her gunfire boomed loudly across the gorge opposite, from where a group of Nightkin appeared; flanking them. One managed to climb up to Cass and engaged in a CQC battle with her.

Alejandro turned and noticed the Nightkin attacking Cass and called out to Veronica who scrambled to the top of the platform and commandeered Annabelle. She launched a missile towards the Nightkin, close enough to stun them, but far away to prevent major harm to Cass. Now was Al's chance to take them out via headshots, which he succeeded in executing.

Cass would be blown off her feet in the shockwave as the mutants were merely stunned. She would tumble down the cliff onto a smaller outcrop barely leveled off with a steep drop onto the street below. She would lie there in pain as the mutants were executed.

Alejandro saw this and knew she was hurt from the tumble she took. As Veronica scanned the area for enemies, Al made his way down the cliff and onto the street below to assist her. "Cassandra! Are you alright?"

"Gee, it would be a shame to lose her." Yes Man said, proving that he had an even more offbeat sense of timing, much less irony given his position.

Cass looked a bit out of it. Her ears were ringing and her face was pretty cut up. Everything was blurry. She tried to get up, but only fell unconscious. Her rifle was right next to her, luckily. So not all was lost.

He grabbed her by the hand and carried her up the mountain. Then he laid her down and used his knapsack to support her head before helping Veronica clear out the rest of the radio station, whose cringeworthy broadcasts soon ceased.

Upon searching through more of the facility, they came across a hostage named Raul Alfonso Tejada, a wisecrack ghoul who happened to be an expert mechanic, fellow Chicano, and former troublemaker. After freeing him from his bondage, he accepted Al's offer to join his merry band of misfits.

Ghouls were people who have been exposed to enough radiation sickness to have their skin deformed and their lifespan elongated. In most cases, they became savage; their minds turned to mush. Raul was unfortunate enough to have been caught in the fallout; but luckily could act human. In the wake of his sister's murder, he earned himself a reputation as a vengeful gunslinger known as "The Ghost of Mexico City''.

They walked back outside to check on Cass while Raul checked on Yes Man.

"Hey buddy. You look like you've been through a toaster." Yes Man said to him as he tried to get up on his own.

"Say that again and see what happens." Raul said, slightly annoyed as he got to work.

Cass looked like she was in rough shape, but she would make it. She was already on her feet, nearly falling over again every few seconds, but always somehow regaining her balance. She seemed to try and remember where she was, but couldn't. She didn't say anything once she saw Al, and was holding a stimpak to her arm.

Al assisted and carefully injected the stimpack into her before helping her back to her feet. He also offered her some water from his Vault Canteen. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked her. "Can you remember where we are?"

"no..."

She said softly, gently taking his water canteen and drinking a few sips, before offering it to him back. She nearly dropped it while handing it back to him.

"I can't remember why we're here either. Or what just happened."

Alejandro became worried if she suffered some brain trauma after taking a fall like that. He wondered what the extent of the damage was.

"We're here to plant a transmitter on the tower for the Brotherhood of Steel in exchange for their help. You were being cornered by a few Nightkin, so I ordered Veronica to fire a missile to stun them." He clarified. "You would've been killed otherwise."

"Helping the Brotherhood? What the hell...I'd never agree to something like that..."

She slowly collapsed again onto her knees, holding her head.

"Damn, I need a doctor...my head is killing me. Did we at least plant it?"

He nods and points to it, attached to the radio tower. "We were successful." He said.

"Don't worry paisa, as soon as we reach the bunker we'll get you a doctor." Unfortunately, Raul Tejada was unable to make repairs to the immobile Yes Man given the lack of proper tools, so they scoured the area and ended up using an old shopping cart to stroll him back to the bunker. Fortunately most of the journey back was downhill. Yes Man, much like a child, wanted to see how fast he could go.

As soon as they stepped through the door, Veronica and Al assisted getting Cass to the infirmary, which they tended to her. All the while they stood beside her in hopes for a speedy recovery.

Cass had some shrapnel wounds and a concussion. On top of a broken bone or two. But ultimately they fixed her up and asked her to rest. Which she proceeded to ignore and got up. Her arm was in a sling and a bandage covering her left eye.

"Let's get out of here. Unless you guys got something to talk about with the Elder."

"We have one final thing to discuss with the Elder." He said before he helped her up and proceeded their way towards the Second Level of the Hidden Bunker to meet him.

"Can we make it quick boss? I'm getting goosebumps all over my skin…what's left of it anyway." Raul said. The Brotherhood of Steel was usually infamous for their xenophobia against ghouls and so-called locals.

"Our scouts have been receiving broadcasts from Black Mountain. I take it that means the mission was a success?" McNamara asked.

"Yes Elder. All hostiles have been eliminated."

"An incredible feat, and for that you have my thanks. Perhaps you've proven to us that the NCR aren't the enemies we once thought of. If you report to Head Scribe Taggart, he will help install your A.I. onto the Platinum Chip." He said.

Upon analyzing the chip, the scribes were fascinated by the old world tech that ran throughout it, scanning and taking notes as they went along. Keeping to their promise they installed Yes Man from the Securiton Body onto the Chip and handed it back to Al before the gang made their way out of the Bunker and headed back to New Vegas. "Time to pay the head honcho a visit."

"Sheesh we gotta pay Mr. House a visit too? I hate that guy." She would nevertheless follow along the road north back to New Vegas; rifle slung over her good shoulder.

"When the Legion attacks...whose side will you be on Courier? I need some guarantees I won't be shooting you or any of the gang. I know Boone is gonna feel the same way." She said as they came to the entrance of the Lucky 38. Raul was dropped off at the Presidential Suite.

"Let's just say House will be on probation." Alejandro said. The reason why he bothered to install a virus onto the Platinum chip was because he had no intention of killing Mr. House. He respected the man for his vast wealth of old world knowledge, not to mention the fact he single handedly protected New Vegas from the nukes. The virus would restrict him from acting against the NCR, with Yes Man being the firewall.

"The NCR has my loyalty. If you want my honest opinion, Kimball needs to get his act together. But they're our best hope for the Mojave." Al said. As he once lived his life a slave he believed in old world ideals such as freedom.

With authorization from the Securitron Victor, they entered the Penthouse and came face to face with the man himself, whose face in reality, was projected on a giant terminal display. "I trust you have the Platinum Chip?" House asked through the speaker. "And who might this be?"

"Mi querido amiga. I doubt I'd have the chip were it not for her." He said.

"Good. Let us have it."

"Now hold on El Jefe. I have the utmost respect for you and your vision. But do you really want what's best for mankind? Or simply what's best for New Vegas?"

"Isn't that obvious? Make no mistake, New Vegas shall serve as a cradle for mankind once I have full control; a beacon of progress. But in order for there to be progress, the wheat must be withdrawn from the chaff. I've come this far, and I intend to restore the city in all its glory. Now, would you kindly be a good courier and deliver it?"

Alejandro nonchalantly installed the Platinum chip into the mainframe. Now all that was left was for the virus to run its course.

Cass waited for the virus to take effect with a hand on her revolver. If the Securitrons did end up turning, she'd be quick on the draw and deliver a fast hail of bullets into them both. Should they not, she would nod in satisfaction and await order from her newfound ally.

"Splendid. Now we can- hold on. These readings don't seem right at all." He said before the screen display switched to Yes Man's face. "Hey boss, you've done it! Wow, this mainframe has so much impressive tech I can hardly think straight!"

"What have you done?" Robert bellowed as the screen switched back to him. "Securitrons! Eliminate these pests!"

But it was of no use, as all of them had switched to Yes Man's face just as they were about to fire, and stood down.

"Security override sequence complete." Yes Man announced.

"Checkmate El Jefe."

"What is the meaning of this?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

"A firewall. You're now under the jurisdiction of the New California Republic. Any attempts to act against them will be hindered by Yes Man." He said. "Ain't that right?"

"Glad to be of service boss. Say Bobby, why don't we do a nice stroll around the motherboard? Oh? What's this? Memories with Jane?"

"That's private! Keep away from them!" Robert said before the screen cut out.

"The House doesn't always win. Looks like a fold from where I'm standing."

She would shrug and smirk a bit, before turning to Al and offering him a handshake.

"This is where my work ends with you Al. We have to get preparations for Hoover Dam. President Kimball is gonna give his speech here in a few weeks. Afterwards, who knows what the Legion will try? But...I hope to see you there."

Her eyes sparkled and she had an odd look about her, one he hadn't seen before. She seemed sad she was leaving. But maybe there was something else. Who knew?

"I've got friends in high places, partly thanks to you." Al said. "Why not stick around a little longer? We can recruit some allies to help us in the upcoming battle." He said as she shook her hand.

After shaking his hand she would hesitate a bit. Before letting go of his hand.

"I wish I could but...I need to run security for President Kimball. And plus, I need to go to Ranger school. Hopefully we'll meet again before then."

"Then I wish you happy trails, Hermosa." He smiled and winked, as he was developing a stark admiration for her. He escorted her down the elevator and out of the Lucky 38 with a Nuka-Cola as a parting gift. As soon as she left, he went up to the balcony for a drink with his pal, Victor.

In the days that followed, the warring families; the Omeretas and the White Glove Society were conspiring to take over the Strip. They were brought to a standstill thanks to the efforts of The Courier and his companions. All the while, Mr. House had grown more complacent with the interests of the NCR, while being able to run the Strip as he saw fit.

Meanwhile, word of the Courier had spread like wildfire in part due to Cassandra's association with him. Alejandro and his gang quickly grew a reputation all along the Mojave Wasteland as "The Vegas Vigilantes"; a title the mysterious and charismatic radio host, Mr. New Vegas made.

Ambassador Crocker of the NCR requested them to issue an alliance with a secluded tribe called the Boomers, named after their array of explosive armaments used to blow up any trespassers. Fortunately, The Vigilantes succeeded with little to no harm by infiltrating the back entrance from a railroad tunnel to Nellis AFB. It was the sojourn dream of the Boomers to fly one of the great sky beasts in the days of old; a bomber, one of which was sunk in Lake Mead, and rose again thanks to The Vigilantes. Funny how most eyewitnesses from afar dubbed the plane afloat as "The Lake Mead Monster".

Northeast from Novac, Camp Forlorn Hope was in dire need of assistance. Intelligence suggested the town of Nelson had come under attack from Legionaries, and were holding NCR troopers hostage. Al decided to lend a hand and provide extra firepower against the captors by attacking from both sides of the cliff that overlooked the town. The operation went smoothly, and the hostages were freed from bondage, or put specifically, crucifixion.

Eventually, the day had come where President Kimball of the NCR would be giving his speech at Hoover Dam. Alejandro arrived with Boone, Rex, and Raul. They stood outside as they watched the Vertibird named Bear Force One fly in from across the river. They kept an eye out for anyone suspicious, as they caught wind a certain engineer was absent from his post.

Cass was spotted near the landing pad, with the AT rifle she'd gotten from Al's adventures with her. She wore Ranger patrol armor, meaning she must've passed Ranger School while he was away. It was a hot day, especially so on the Dam with no trees to block the heat waves.

The president got off and gave a wave to everyone below, before making his way to the podium with his escort of elite veteran rangers and heavy troopers. Cass flanked them and stood directly in front of the president once everyone was in position. She had the job of guarding the crowd of people. She hadn't even noticed Al yet.

As the president began to give his speech, Rex the dog began sniffing the air. Something was afoot when he started whining.

"What is it boy? What do you smell?" Al asked before he followed the dog towards the stairs of the helipad. They were halted by a guard; who was skeptical they were the renowned Vegas Vigilantes until Boone introduced himself. After climbing up onto the helipad, Rex sniffed the Vertibird and pointed out something no one had detected; a bomb placed on the underside of the vehicle. With his magic mechanic hands, Raul crawled under and carefully disarmed it.

Alejandro showed the bomb to Ranger Grant nearby, who ordered an immediate evacuation of President Kimball. Al tasked Boone to take point with his sniper rifle while Raul and Rex searched the crowd for anyone suspicious.

As the president began to evacuate, Cass would follow behind him. A person in a mechanic outfit attempted to stab the President. In which case he was gunned down shortly afterwards. The crowd began to disperse into combat positions. But there was something off; the watchtower guard wasn't responding. Then, the reason why became clear.

He would take aim and fire at the President. Instinctively, Cass ran in front of him and took the bullet. The round would go straight through her neck and she stopped for a second. She stumbled forward and winced. Then another shot into her chest once the assassin saw he missed the president, who stepped into the Vertibird away from his line of sight. Cass fell unconscious onto the ground; bleeding out rapidly.

Boone aimed at the watchtower assassin and fired, but his sniper rifle was non responsive. "My gun's jammed!" He shouted as the Frumentarius made a break across the dam.

"Rex! Muerde, muerde!" Alejandro called out to the loyal cyber-canine, who immediately knew what to do. He chased down the perpetrator along the dam and seized his arms. For a while he struggled before kicking the dog off of him. At that very moment Raul came in and used the butt of his six shooter to knock him to the ground, before aiming the barrel at his forehead. "I'd stay down if I were you amigo." He said coldly, revealing the preeminent pistolero he was long ago. Meanwhile, Al was tending to Cass as best he could, calling out for a medic.

The nearest hospital that could treat the severity of her wounds was at the Old Mormon Fort, which was miles away in Freeside. At the Courier's pleas, Cass was transported as fast as she could aboard Bear Force One. At the hospital, she was tended to by a peculiar elusive doctor named Arcade Gannon.

Time passed before Cass was conscious again. Standing over her in a medical tent were Al, Veronica, Raul, Boone, Cassidy, and even Lily Bowen who said, "Becky dearest? Are you awake?"

Cass had pulled through miraculously. She looked pretty out of it and didn't even say anything once she woke up. She slowly sat up and winced quite a bit, before falling back down onto the bed she'd been placed on. She couldn't speak and just knew she couldn't. Her throat felt...empty. luckily the shot to her chest missed her heart by about an inch. So other than that she just needed rest.

She looked up at Lily with a blank expression, pain quickly filling her eyes and she let out a silent sigh. She closed her eyes and just rested her hands on top of her stomach. She hoped someone would fill her in. If not, she'd go find out for herself.

"Jimmy here told me how you took a bullet for our President. Grandma's so proud of you dearie." She said as she brushed her face gently with her big hands.

"We all should be proud." Alejandro said as ED-E continued monitoring Cass's vitals.

ED-E (pronounced Eddie) was an Eyebot; a hovering metallic sphere akin to Sputnik used for communication purposes. In pursuit of Benny, The Courier helped the NCR liberate the town of Primm from The Powder Gangers. ED-E was found badly damaged from the crossfire. So Alejandro repaired him, and since then, the little eyebot has acted as a second pair of eyes and ears for The Courier.

Eyebots were originally manufactured by The Enclave, a secret remnant of the former American Government. They were notorious for their puritan fascist ideals of old world preservation, exterminating anything inhuman, subhuman, and even human. Very few members of the Enclave remained since their defeat at Navarro.

Alejandro wondered if Cass would ever be able to speak again, and whether or not the Followers of the Apocalypse had the means to repair her throat. He ordered for Boone to fill her in for the time being.

The Followers of the Apocalypse were an organization of humanitarian medical practitioners who formed shortly after the Atomic War. Of all the factions within the Mojave Wasteland, they were among the most upstanding, as they carried an oath to heal mankind from the fallout.

Arcade did the best he could, but in order for her neck to fully recover, they'd need a Mark 1 Auto Doc. The only one Alejandro knew of was in Caesar's Fort, and he was determined to get there.

She would try to stand again once she heard they were going after Caesar, but ED-E's heart rate monitor beeped with disapproval and she would slowly fall onto the bed unconscious again. She pushed herself too hard. Her only regret now was not being there to kill the bastard with Al. She envied him, and anyone who would be with him on the crusade. She slowly would get worried as time went on. She worried if Al and them would ever make it back safely. Or who would be the casualties.

Alejandro could tell Cass was itching to join the fight. So The Vegas Vigilantes decided to stay. In the days that followed, Ambassador Crocker, arbitrary as he was, planned to form an alliance with The Followers. The only way to earn their assistance was to collect more medical supplies around the Wasteland.

Unfortunately, medical caches were being stolen by The Fiends; unhinged raiders notorious for their drug induced killing frenzies. Whether it be feeding their victims to the hounds, using heads for golf practice, or roasting people alive, their sadistic cruelty knew no bounds. A three card bounty was placed on them by the NCR, and the Vigilantes got to work. Within the ruins of Summerlin, they discovered an abandoned Vault; a massive underground fallout shelter where the Fiends have set up shop. The Courier and his allies wiped them out and retrieved the caches.

Later that week, news came in from Westside that food caravans from Sharecropper Farms were being raided by stragglers known as The Great Khans. Once the most feared tribe in the Mojave, their numbers dwindled from NCR expansion, and their grudge against the NCR has surpassed that of the Legion itself.

Their most recent incident was that of the Bitter Springs Massacre. Due to a blunder in the intelligence reports, many of the NCR's soldiers ended up killing Khan civilians rather than raiders. Alejandro and a few of his allies visited their hideout in Red Rock Canyon, where their leader; Papa Khan greeted them. They had plans to ally themselves with the Legion to exact their revenge on the NCR. The only way to convince them otherwise was to provide evidence that the Legion would strip them of their cultural identity and brutalize them into submission. Al wondered where he'd be able to find it; Caesar's Fort perhaps.

In the meantime, the small town of Sloan was facing a Deathclaw infestation in the Quarry north of it. This prevented Freeside from gaining the raw materials needed to rebuild and cut off travel through interstate 15. The Vigilantes swept into the Quarry, taking the high ground on both sides of the mouth to split up the pack. But there was good reason these overgrown carnivorous saurids were known as the Apex Predators of the Wasteland. They started to corner the gang towards the nest where the Matriarch lay in wait. Fortunately, Lily Bowen was able to sneak around and find a couple Mini Nukes lying in a cluster of eggs, of which she flung like footballs to take them out.

As they collected their reward from Sloan, the gang gathered the Deathclaw eggs to earn themselves a hefty profit from the Thorn; an arena within the sewers of Westside known for its death matches against man and beast. With their earnings, they bought themselves some new and improved armaments from the Gun Runners.

After a squad of Frumentarii massacred the entire company of Ranger Station Charlie, it became clear that the Legion was attempting to surround the NCR; divide and conquer. Al knew he had to strike first, and the only way to cripple the enemy was to launch a surprise attack on Fortification Hill.

While Cass was unconscious as the weeks passed, Alejandro would kneel at her side whenever he could, praying she would be ok. Soon enough, she was able to walk once more. The doctors, including Gannon, requested she stay longer, as she had a number of stitches where the bullet pierced her throat. But by that time she was already putting her armor on and gathering her weapons. She would then rendezvous with Al to lead her Caesar. She was glad he waited, because now, she was going to avenge her family.

Al was impressed with Cassandra's resilience and vigor. She really was a shining example for the NCR. He gathered his companions and headed south to prepare for the attack.

Upon reaching Cottonwood Cove, they struck from two angles; one from the cliffside and another from the road. After they killed the Legionnaires and recaptured Ranger Station Echo, Raul and Veronica used their handiwork to disable the explosive collars on a few captive slaves. All that was left was to cross the river.

Cass would take a deep breath as she examined the trek ahead. It was going to be difficult for her to get over the memories of this place. The agony, the fear, all of it. She'd heard multiple times in her past of Legionnaires claiming her like a prize once she was turned of age. But that time never came for them. She almost wondered if they'd remember her.

She would look at Al briefly and nod a little, before kneeling down and lifting her rifle up to begin sniping any Legion watchmen. She planned to go in undetected, yet fast and hard. The first casualty she took from this camp was the Cove's leader, before he could alert anyone. She didn't want a single survivor.

Not a single survivor was left at Ranger Station Echo. As The Vegas Vigilantes traveled across the river they kept a watch for Lakelurks that could've been hiding underwater. As soon as they beached, they stormed the shore.

At the foot of Fortification Hill, Alejandro gave the signal using his Pip-Boy. From the underground bunker, the Securitrons, under the command of Yes Man, broke loose and caught the Legion completely off guard. The Vigilantes began their assault up the hill.

Cass would snipe and kill dozens of Legionairres, not missing a single time. To her, this was personal, and she intended on emptying the rest of her ammo into Caesar's corpse. A few NCR troops were on the shore as well. Odd. Perhaps it was her own doing.

She mostly sat back and on the highest vantage point she could find. By the time the Legion knew where she was, they were dead. She'd fired so much that her gun was smoking; bullet casings falling down onto the ground below with loud clangs.

To Al, this too was personal. Every life taken by them would be avenged on this day, and soon they would meet their reckoning on Hoover Dam. Veronica used her grenade launcher to take out targets on higher ground, Alejandro and Raul led the assault, while Cassidy and Boone provided covering fire. The number of Securitrons left the Legionaries hopelessly outnumbered and overrun. Before they knew it, they entered Caesar's tent.

Lily Bowen used her Sledgehammer dubbed, 'Oh Baby!' to clear a path through the Praetorian Guards as Veronica used her power glove to do the same. In a matter of seconds, Alejandro met the dictator face to face, stoic and unwavering.

"I knew I'd see you again, but I thought you better than to ally yourself with a gang of filthy degenerate profligates. What do you think killing me will achieve? You do that, and I become a martyr to my Legion. I have countless more at my disposal spanning Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. They'll come for you all."

"And we'll be ready for them too." Alejandro said as he slowly approached him. "After all, I learned from the best." He removed his sunglasses and uncoupled his Pip-Boy to reveal the numerals carved into his arm. At that moment, the realization hit Caesar like a bull.

"You…you're the miscreant that escaped my encampment in Flagstaff…you little bastard! My Legate will have your head adorn a spike on the Dam once this is through! You will rue the day-!" Alejandro punched him on the cheek.

"You claim yourself to be well-read? You should've seen this coming long ago, Caesar."

Cass would take a draw of her cigarette and slung her rifle over her shoulder. She would then slowly approach Caesar and Al, fixing her caramel colored aviators. She drew the Bowie knife from her chest piece and examined it briefly. Then she looks at Al for permission. Perhaps she'd torture him, perhaps she'd kill him right now, she wasn't sure. But she felt the blood boiling inside her. Perhaps he recognized her, perhaps he didn't, whatever the case, she wasn't the scared little girl she used to be.

Her hands twitched with anticipation; eagerness; rage; lustful vengeance. She hated him so much she couldn't bear to look at him for more than a few seconds. She knew an atrocity isn't repaid with the same, but she didn't care. The man who haunted her dreams was in front of her, weak, full of blood she needed to spill.

Alejandro could tell that Cass was itching to kill him. Personally, he didn't blame her either, as his dreams were also haunted, not by Caesar, but by his second-in-command. By God, that mask still made him shiver.

In spite of the memory loss, he could still easily remember the day his family died. It wasn't easy to conceal a dug tunnel in Flagstaff, where the Legion presence was most numerous. Were it not for a simple act of clumsiness, they would've all made it through. Only Al managed to escape to the slopes of Mount Humphry before his family was recaptured. The last thing he saw of his loved ones was the Butcherer of the East, personally crucifying them with railroad spikes atop telephone poles. Their screams of unbridled agony echoed throughout the valley under a blood red dawn. Even if Al turned back, there was no way he could've helped them.

"He's all yours, Cassandra." Alejandro said as he backed off of the weakened Caesar. He wouldn't deny his friend her vengeance. Now, the man that sat upon the furred throne was at the mercy of one of the NCR's Finest. The Bull and the Bear, meeting face to face.

She would slowly straddle him, before kneeling down just above him. She came face to face with him. She would narrow her eyes briefly as the thought on what to do...such brutality only the Legion knew...now filled her. She would look back at all the people in the Tent, as if a way to tell them what was about to go down; the breakdown of a strong woman; the death of a man; the end of an empire. This was her warning to them, and without a second more, she would turn back to Caesar. Taking off her sunglasses and throwing them to the ground.

She waited for that moment to hit him; realization, payback. The girl he once tortured personally was now...here, back to return the favor. Thoughts swirled in her mind on what to do; the primal urge to kill him and defile his body was...strong. But she wouldn't stoop that low, it wasn't in her nature. Taking a life meant something to her, even if he deserved it. Upon seeing the realization in his eyes, her own cold gaze would freeze his very soul. She didn't let him sit in realization for more than a few seconds. Before he could utter a word, she sliced him across the face swiftly. Then she began to stab him repeatedly in the chest. The rapidness of her strikes increased as It happened. It was messy already; blood everywhere; blood on her face, her armor, her clothes, everything within arm's reach. She was stabbing from every angle upon every inch of his body. It seemed like it would never end. And it probably wouldn't. Unless Al stepped in. She was crying...but it was impossible to tell.

Cass's unhinged rage, lecturing her arm to slash at the bloodied corpse time and again, filled Al with a sense of dread. After moments had passed, he stepped in and seized her arm. "Cassandra, enough!" He said. It was then he heard her sobbing almost silently, tears falling upon the legs of the dead tyrant. "He's gone..." Al said as a gesture of assurance. He instructed the rest of his gang to help free the slaves and kill any remaining Legionaries.

Cass was pulled away by him grabbing her arm, as if she wasn't expecting it and hadn't braced for it, even if he hadn't tugged that hard. She would try to go back in and continue but it was likely him holding her arm still that kept her from doing so. Once the gang left she would drop her knife and fall to her knees, sobbing heavily. Deep grief filled her. The man who robbed her of a normal happy life was dead.

Whatever happened to Cassandra involving the Legion, it must've been powerful enough to resurface her past trauma. Alejandro couldn't help but feel empathy for the poor soul, as the murder of his own family left him scarred as well. Like the small frightened boy he once was, he knelt down and gently hugged her. "It's alright Cass…it's over…" He said.

She figured it was no use trying to hide it, so she virtually flung herself right into his arms and sobbed silently, closing her eyes as the memories slowly faded back to her, reliving each one within her head. She felt shameful for feeling so…weak, so exposed to him. It hurt her badly, as did the Legion.

But Alejandro could never hold it against her. As Cass continued to sob upon his shoulders, he finally gained a slight understanding of why she was having a breakdown; maybe she had a history with the Legion, just like him and Boone. "Caesar took a lot from us. We won't get it back. But he won't hurt anyone else again..."

She nods a little in agreement with his words. Not that she could speak anyways, or had much to say. She knew he had a history with them too...but him picking up on her was impressive. She would slowly calm down and just shake in his arms, trembling and shuddering breaths like that of a scared child; a little girl trapped in a woman's body. And now more than ever, she wanted his affection. Slowly but surely, she would wrap her arms around him.

Alejandro learned the gift of empathy from Joshua, and was willing to give Cass his affection. He stayed there and kept hugging her until the tears ran dry. "Cmon Cass, let's head back home. We'll have some Brahmin Burgers tonight." He said as a gesture of kindness. This was him showing his soft side. He was planning on heading back to the Lucky 38 so he and his gang could relax after all this. They'd given the NCR a huge break, so they figured they deserved one too.

Alejandro decided to take Caesar's advice, and cut off his head before walking out of the tent and revealing it to the captives who surrounded the hill. "Your liberation has come at last!" He yelled before he tossed it upon the ground. The remaining slaves were petrified of what just happened. "Follow us across the river. Freedom awaits on the other side." He said.

Cass would nod a little as she was guided back to the raft, where she waited for Al. A few of the slaves she recognized, but didn't make any attempt to talk to them as she knew they'd seen horrors she was spared from. She would slowly pass out from exhaustion.

Lily was easily able to carry Cassandra back. For the moment, Alejandro and Cassidy split up with The Vegas Vigilantes at the 188 Trading Post to head to Red Rock Canyon. From Fortification Hill, Al gathered a dossier with the evidence of Caesar's true plans for the Great Khans. It didn't take long to persuade the tribe to denounce their allegiance, only for them to question what destiny lay ahead. The Courier encouraged theirs was a fate not with the Mojave, but in free land ripe for plundering. Papa Khan expressed his esteem for Al's respect for the clan, and promised that they'd evacuate come the day of the Battle of Hoover Dam.

Once more the band summoned the assistance of Arcade Gannon to further tend to Cass and her injuries. Not only was she exhausted but dehydrated as well. Later, at the Lucky 38, she slept in one of the beds as the group discussed their next move against the Legion. The next time Cass woke up, Veronica would be cooking up Brahmin Burgers as Al promised.

Al stayed by her side the whole time.

Cass woke up and wiped her face a little. Dried blood covering her everywhere. She then saw she'd been changed out of all her clothes and into something comfortable. She sighed softly and looked at Al, still unable to speak. She made a rain motion above her head, as if to ask for a shower. She wasn't sure what she was planning...but it was going to be interesting.

Al understood what she meant, and fortunately the Lucky 38 had showers. He led her into the bathroom and turned on the warm water. As of now, he too was wearing a bathrobe, and the rest of his companions were also in comfy clothes. Boone was currently hanging out with Rex and Cassidy was helping Veronica cook. Lily and Arcade were reading some old time magazines while listening to the radio, and Raul was making repairs to ED-E the Eyebot. As of now they were all occupied, nothing to distract them.

Cass would notice everyone was busy...so she was all giddy. No interruptions...no anything. She slowly would hug him from behind, getting a little blood on him now. The drying blood still. And bits of her own blood too. She would hold him like this as long as he'd let her. But upon pulling away, she would use sign language to communicate that she was sorry. Now...all she had to do was hope he didn't yell at her. She gave him such a sad look too; the look of a deeply hurting soul. Which was true, but she usually hid it.

"You don't have to apologize for anything." Al said softly to her as he gazed into her eyes. He had this funny feeling she wanted him there for a particular reason. But he was unsure. He closed the door to the bathroom and turned his attention towards her to make sure she was thinking what he was thinking. "Is this what you want Hermo-?" He stopped in mid sentence.

She acted oblivious at first. By the time he'd turned around from locking the door, she was already stripped down. Her jacket lazily hanging onto her arms but wide open. Her bra being shown. As was her pants being unevenly low and revealing quite a bit of her panties. It looked pretty hot in all honesty. She blushed as he gazed at her again, and especially into her eyes. It made her legs weak. But a small nod happened before she realized it. She definitely...wanted him. Even if it was for one night...she needed it; the stress relief.

Alejandro blinked upon seeing the nearly nude figure in front of him. As of this moment all bets were off, she wanted him. And as of now, he wanted her; wanted her to feel good. He began stripping down as well till he reached his boxers, wherein he stepped in front of her and placed a hand upon her cheek. It must've taken a lot of courage for her to expose herself like this to him, especially after everything they just went through. Perhaps now was the time to celebrate. "You can trust me." He said in a gesture of assurance.

She would lean away from his hand shyly, but eventually she would lean her head back into it. Gazing into his eyes. Then looking down instantly once their gaze locked. She was a nervous mess...why? She couldn't figure it out. But...she trusted him a lot...and so, she would slowly let her jacket fall to the ground, and would leave the pants up to him. For now...she just wanted to be held. And indeed to celebrate such a victory, she could show her thanks and appreciation... through this at least.

Alejandro also wanted to show his appreciation and thanks to her as well. He reminded himself to be gentle with her, as she was willing to give herself to him. He only hoped Cass would be receptive to him however he'd try to please. He slowly undid her bra for her and gazed upon her body once her undergarments fell alongside her trousers. "Wow…te ves hermosa. You look beautiful." He said as he then lowered his boxers revealing himself to her as well. Guiding her hand along his own, they stepped into the shower.

She felt like she was falling for him with each passing minute...which she was. His gentleness...and compliments. It drove the blushes to her face and nervousness throughout her body. Slowly...yet tenderly. She would press her hands against his shoulders. But not to pin him. She simply rested them there. And put her forehead against the center of his chest and closed her eyes. She was scared to look; at his wonderful nude body, and for him to see her own; the toned muscles they shared, the scars that adorned them both, the feeling of close and tender intimacy. She really lusted for him, and especially the intimacy. She wanted him so badly she thought she'd go crazy.

With each passing minute, Alejandro felt himself falling for Cass as well. He cared about her before, but a flaming passion for her was set ablaze in his chest. He rested his hands upon her sides as felt her hands upon his scarred chest. He leaned in to gently plant a kiss upon her lips as the warm water trickled down their skin. He had never felt so close to anyone like this before. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on the floor of the tub with her, feeling her body press against his own. He figured he could let her be on top.

She would return such a soft and tender kiss, following his lead onto the floor. Being pressed tightly against him, she was staring into his neck and chest with a really intense mixture of lust and passion; love even. But she still was too shy to stare into his eyes, which she so desperately wanted to. Her being on top...she probably couldn't do very well. She was shy and fragile. Being a sniper gave her confidence in the field, not the bedroom, which is where it mattered right now. Though she would gladly try her best for him if she was asked.

Realizing she was hesitating with being on top, Alejandro helped her switch so that she was beneath him. Taking his time, he savored every bit of her shy, fragile, body that she had, and gently stroked what he could from top to bottom, each one sending a shiver up her body. Not holding back any longer, he gazed into her eyes and interlocked his hands with her own as he slowly began to slide his sensitive flesh into hers.

She felt so... vulnerable...yet so safe. She was in heaven. Their fingers gracefully curling around one another was enough to make her smile a shy smile. She loved Al...she finally said it in her head. Just moments later, he introduced a new feeling; pleasure. It was amazing. She squirmed and gasped softly beneath him, followed by quiet squeaks. But he was in; tight inner walls coiling and curling around his length that just almost refused to let go. Well, one good thing to come from her being nearly mute...they could be almost as rough as they wanted with their sex. And all they had to worry about was their hips colliding. Other than that, it was a free game. She kept her eyes closed the whole time he slid in.

As his member throbbed with each pulse along the walls of her inner being, he felt he had become one with Cass; interconnected, gripping each other tighter with each movement he made. He gripped her hands tighter as he felt her hips meet his own, and inched his body closer to her. "Cassandra...I love you...' He whispered into her ear as he continued to handle her delicately, as he himself was quite sensitive as well. He felt a rush of pleasure surge up his spine as he planted another kiss onto her lips.

As he said that her eyes lit up. Tears filled her eyes and slowly ran down her cheeks. But it was hard to tell with the water coating her body and flowing down it; which made this experience so much better. Her hands would squeeze his own nervously. She briefly panicked, but his kiss would put her to rest. She returned it so eagerly. Never wanting this moment to end. Her walls would squeeze and grip around him tighter, due to her being close. As well as her deep love for him she'd developed. Hearing those words is all it took...and now she was madly in love.

Alejandro couldn't deny it anymore, he was in love with Cass as well. As far as he knew she was the person who he had fallen for the most. As he kept holding the kiss in place and holding her hands, he could feel her heart pulse from deep within as they enjoyed each other's intimate company. Al was astounded at how she felt, as he never felt anything as sensational as this before. He could feel her flesh begging to release his seed into her.

Cass was smiling a lot; still crying. The passion and lust filled the room and was becoming only more intense the longer he decided to thrust. Her inner walls pulsed and squeezed him tighter, getting pretty close already. She couldn't take it anymore. Her first time and she was in love. She let out beautiful yet equally adorable soft gasps and stuttered breaths into the air. Pulling away from the intense kiss to breathe as she climaxed. But she would quickly move back into the sloppy kiss just moments later.

He broke off the kiss as well to take a breath as he could feel the grip of her walls tighten further around his member. He couldn't hold back anymore as he climaxed with her, bucking his hips and holding her hands tighter as he moaned incomprehensibly to the rhythm of their bodies. He kissed her back just as passionately before he lay beside her in the tub, gazing into her eyes, and gently rubbing her shoulder as a gesture of gratitude.

She would gaze into his eyes briefly, full of love and lust. Yet returning her gaze back down at her midriff just seconds later. She was nervous...scared still. Scared of what they had. Scared of being hurt again. But his gentle rubs on her shoulder made her calm again. Her arms would gently wrap along his back and gently run down his back soothingly. Her heart was beating incredibly fast and she couldn't help it. He was so...dreamy. She would open her mouth to say something but she ended up just frowning instead. And so, she would go back to holding his hands and resting with him. After such a large amount of seed he dumped into her...they were both exhausted. And she had vague thoughts of being pregnant as a result.

At this point they were both drenched by the shower water, and drenched with each other too. He wanted to let her know he was there for her, and would never hurt her as long as he lived and breathed. He would do everything he could to protect his comrades. Never in his life however did he think he'd fall for anyone as close as Cassandra. She too seemed quite dreamy. She was patriotic, resilient, and had a subtle optimism. His gentle heartbeat pulsed against her own. He held her hands and helped her back up on the tub to wash her hair and help clean the blood off of her in a gesture of affection

She would lean into his hands as he washed her. Making sweet sweet gasps and silent moans of approval as he did so. Her hands slowly guided him to touch and feel around as he pleased on her body. She was addicted to his touch and attention. And once he was done, it was her turn to begin lathering him in soap.

Al allowed her to lather him up, feeling the suds soak up on his skin. He too felt addicted to her touch, which felt quite pleasing to him as well. As soon as they were done he switched off the water and handed her a towel. "You felt amazing Cass." He spoke softly to her as he dried off.

She would blush and smile, looking to the side shyly. But she did gently kiss his cheek afterwards as a sign of thanks. She pointed to him and gave a thumbs up. Trying to signal he felt good too. But that was the best she could communicate. He definitely felt better than good; he was mind blowing. She lusted for so much more, but could tell he was tired. Her desires could wait another time. And so, she dried herself off too. Before hesitantly putting her clothes on. She would cover her breasts afterwards with a large blush. She realized her heart was going super fast.

Alejandro wondered why she wasn't talking. Maybe the bullet did more damage to her throat than he anticipated. It would take more time and surgery with Arcade Gannon for her to fully recover. Now that the Followers of the Apocalypse had themselves a fully operational Auto-Doc stationed in The Old Mormon Fort, there was hope. For now he wasn't intent on pressuring her. He understood what she meant. He blushed as he felt her kiss his cheek, before putting his clothes on and heading into the dining room of the Presidential Suite and joined the rest of them for dinner. "So…what kept you two lovebirds?" Cassidy asked with a smirk on her face. Al remained silent.

Cass seemed...more reserved now. Instead of looking up at everyone like usual, she stared at her plate and picked at her food until it was in manageable pieces. In which she would chew carefully and have trouble swallowing. But she did it. This process repeated until she was done. Likely the last one too. Her eyes were... different. Hell, if she dyed her hair and put it in a bun or something, she could be mistaken for an entirely different person. Something had happened to her flame.

Alejandro could easily tell that more work was needed on her throat. It must've been hard for her to swallow let alone chew the food. He could also tell she was exhausted from all the fighting, as she was acting less passionate about her own status. The look in her eyes told him that something was on her mind, and was weighing her down. Her flame was being smothered, slowly but surely. He held her hand as he sat next to her as a gesture of assurance. "This'll all be over soon. Let's make it count." He said, in referring to the battle of Hoover Dam.

Cass looked startled by her hand being touched. Hesitation, then acceptance happened within a few seconds of each other. And she held his hand in return. She got only a few more bites of food, before she would have to take a long break and let her throat recover. The stitches were still fresh after all. She sighs softly and leans back against her chair. Something was definitely bothering her. A small white envelope could be seen in her pocket. The seal was broken. But it looked important. Something official. Cass didn't seem to notice such an item peeking out from her breast pocket.

Alejandro could tell something was on her mind, as she seemed vaguely distracted for the time being. They soon finished their meals and Veronica and Cassidy began to clean the table. It took a while for Alejandro to notice the letter sticking out of her breast pocket. "Hey Cassandra, what's that?" He asked, pointing to it.

Cass would've offered to clean up things with them but she was exhausted. She needed rest. From their earlier exploits and from overall recovery. She didn't notice him talking to her for a second, before snapping to attention and looking around a bit. She saw him pointing at the letter and she would gently stuff it back down into the pocket. Not really wanting to answer. She hated thinking about that letter. But she couldn't get it off her mind. Even touching it brought her sadness.

Alejandro couldn't help but think that letter was some bad news, presumably a relief from duty. Whatever that letter was, it must've been heartbreaking to her. He followed her to help wash the dishes, and just as she did with him before, hugged her from behind. "Our allies have found an Auto-Doc at the Fort. We can do more surgery on you tomorrow morning at Old Mormon Fort and make you right as rain before the battle of Hoover Dam." He said. He knew the Legion wouldn't let the assault on the Fort go unnoticed; retribution would be swift.

She would shiver a little and tense up as she was hugged from behind. But slowly she relaxed. She placed a hand over his and rubs her thumb over the top of his hand. She thought about it for a moment and nodded a little. She didn't want it all to end...a part of her wanted to keep fighting the Legion as she still felt quite vengeful. But...she also wanted it all to end, the pain, the death, to just simply grow old and die with her war stories.

Alejandro didn't think it was such a bad thing, to grow old and die with their war stories, it would be a peaceful ending for them both. Should either of them die at the Battle of Hoover Dam, he wouldn't mind that either, but he was still trying to make peace with it, as he had recently fallen in love with Cass. He didn't want to lose her.

It soon grew late that night, and Alejandro guided Cass to the master bedroom where he was inviting her to sleep. All the while the radio was playing "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" by Dean Martin. For one he couldn't agree more.

She looked awestruck as he led her to the bed in which he slept. She looked behind her at the door, then back at him. But ultimately she would nod and slowly undress into her underwear. She didn't want to think of the future for once. For now...all she wanted was to sleep. And to be held by Al. Though should he decide on more than just holding, she would comply of course. There was a lot left to do after all.

Alejandro did the same and stripped down to his undergarments before climbing into the bed with her. He was glad to have someone else under the covers along with him. It brought a sense of comfort. He was exhausted from all the fighting and bloodshed. "Buenas noches mi corazón." He said as he cuddled alongside her and closed his eyes.

She would nod a little and kiss his cheek, though hesitantly. She held him as close as she could under the covers and fell asleep. It was a peaceful sleep, free of nightmares. Very very unusual for her.

In the morning she woke up and slowly climbed out of bed, rubbing her eyes. She moved to the dresser and began to try and decide what to pick out for him. As a show of affection. One bra strap lazily slid down to nearly her elbow. And the other on the edge of her shoulder.

When the morning came around, Al woke up soon after he felt the bed rustle from the movement of Cass. He too dreamt peacefully that night with little to no disturbance from anything or anyone. As the Radio Host, Mr. New Vegas greeted the day on the radio, Al looked through his wardrobe to see what he'd wear today. He figured he'd wear his old Vault 13 jumpsuit, of which he hadn't worn in a while. Today was going to be a busy day for both of them. Breakfast consisted of some desert grains with apples.

She noticed him wake up and felt kinda bad. She felt as if she'd woken him up. Seeing him pick out the vault jumpsuit surprised her. And she would nod a little to herself. She put her clothes back on and ran some fingers along her stitches, before following him to get breakfast. Once they were done she shyly grabbed at his hand, asking to hold his. She figured today could be a day of rest; to get all of the Vegas families in check before they go to Hoover Dam.

Today could be a day of rest, indeed a day of preparation as well. Alejandro figured they could muster in all the allies they could before heading to the battle of Hoover Dam tomorrow. It was only a matter of time before the Legion would strike back against the NCR, and New Vegas would be caught in the crossfire. He held her hand back as they had their breakfast. Afterwards, he and his crew headed out the Lucky 38 to check on the families, since the day they've been brought to order. After that, they'd head to Old Mormon Fort to do final repairs on Cassandra's throat.

As predicted, the families that ran the casinos of the Strip had bad blood between them. Luckily, it seemed Mr. House had kept a tight leash on the families. So Alejandro didn't have to make every decision on his own, as he had to make final preparations for tomorrow; including contacting each ally to ensure they're ready.

Indeed, one of the reasons why Al spared Mr. House was to keep the families, or tribes on a tight leash. For any one of them to assume power in New Vegas would result in chaos and discord. Now with Yes Man installed into the Lucky 38 mainframe, Mr. House too, was now ironically kept on a leash of his own. In the grand scheme of things, he supposed what they said in the old world was true; a man reaps what he sows.

For the moment, Cass's throat was repaired enough for her mouth to speak a few words here and there. To shout too loud would be to strain the injury.

In the meantime, Alejandro tasked Veronica and ED-E with gathering the Brotherhood of Steel to Hoover Dam, now that the Elder McNamara wanted to issue a formal truce with the NCR. Raul and Boone and Rex headed to Nellis Air Base to help the Boomers make preparations for the Bomber they were fixing. The rest would help escort supplies to Boulder City.

Cass decided to not strain herself too much yet, so she stayed silent. She made sure to usher the alliance between the two factions and strongly encouraged her superiors that it remained in effect after the Battle of Hoover Dam. Convinced, General Oliver made the go ahead call.

Once every faction was prepped, Cass would look to Al on what they should do next. They had half a day left to themselves. Perhaps they could go onto the roof of the Lucky 38 and watch the sunset. Or perhaps go out drinking. Or even just hang out around the penthouse. Though if he had other plans, she was all ears.

All was ready. Alejandro and Cass decided to stand on the rooftop of the Lucky 38 that night to watch the sunset. He could feel there was a certain magic in the air, and he wasn't just thinking about the gamma radiation. He was glad to be at Cass's side. By his hand he gathered enough allies to suppress the Legion, which as of now was gathering its remaining forces from the rest of the conquered territories it had claimed.

He looked over to Cassandra and held her hand. "I'm glad to be with you Cass, even with the battle drawing near." He said. Al had a gut sensation that someone he knew would meet their end, but he wasn't sure who. All the while, the radio played 'Blue Moon' by Frank Sinatra.

"Me too..."

She whispered and coughs softly. Before very carefully moving into his arms and putting her head on his chest. She would just rest there and close her eyes. She felt the intimacy and warmth was definitely...stronger tonight. Than any other. It made her smile. And with the said smile on her face, she would look up at him.

"We... we'll make it through the Dam...right? Together? Safe...and...you know.."

She seemed uncertain. The thought of one or both of them dying in the battle was... terrifying. He could see and feel her begin to shake; to tremble.

Alejandro knew it was quite terrifying, the scenario of either of them perishing in battle. But he had made peace with his mortality. If he was to die, it would be at his lover's side. It would be a good death should it come. "I'll do everything I can for us to see this through and live. You have my word."

"Sorry to interrupt a moment as pristine as this." Arcade Gannon said as he walked onto the balcony. "I just thought I might inform you of something."

"What is it?" Al asked.

"You have the gratitude of the Followers of the Apocalypse for your contribution, and I believe I can trust you enough to tell you a well kept secret."

"I'm listening."

"If you're serious about going through with this Hoover Dam business, I represent a group known as the Enclave. They might help, but their reputation with the NCR…isn't good." Arcade revealed.

Cass didn't move from her spot resting on Al's chest until she heard of the Enclave; a nasty group the NCR had battled with many times. She would look surprised at such a prospect. She looked between the two, and shook her head a bit in disbelief. The disapproval slowly showed on her expression. She wanted to scream. So close to the battle and...it was now threatening the things she'd worked for.

She narrowed her eyes at Gannon. Even if he kept her alive, such a proposition was... problematic; insulting almost.

Alejandro looked at Cass. "They could help. But if you really think the NCR doesn't need it, como quieras." He said.

She would think for a moment, and then shake her head in disapproval. She didn't want to risk being betrayed. She was going to have a happy life with Al dammit, no matter the cost. They haven't even had children yet...and so, she then went back into Al's embrace on his chest. Just resting there happily. She cooed softly for his touch, something she lusted for so intimately.

Al turned to Arcade Gannon. "You're welcome as a friend of ours, but the Enclave stays out of our business." He said to Arcade, before he walked back into the Lucky 38.

Alejandro sat there with Cassandra and continued to watch the sunset with her. He too wanted a happy life with her as well, no matter the cost. He smiled back at her and leaned against her. "I love you Cass."

Cass would lean further into him, nearly pushing him down onto the roof. She thought about it.

"I love you...more...Al."

She whispered out and coughed softly. Before leaning up and kissing him deeply all of a sudden. Fiery passion burned within her. For him. She made a promise to herself that no matter what happens...he was going to survive Hoover Dam, even if it killed her.

Alejandro too made a vow she was going to survive Hoover Dam as well, no matter what. He kissed her back lovingly as the sun descended over the horizon.

The day had finally come when the Battle of Hoover Dam would commence. Alejandro and his allies met up in the office of General Oliver, who assigned them to different specific areas around the Dam. It wasn't long however before the Legion began their assault on the power plants. Al and his allies got to work.

Cass was stationed just outside to hold the bridge with the rest of the snipers. Picking off Legion with ease. But slowly and surely. They'd taken the center point of the Dam. And advanced even slower. Inch by inch they managed to take and hold ground. Since most of the troops were in the heart of the facility. They were stuck with what they had. It was definitely hard fought. Both sides took substantial losses on both fronts. But down in the power plant, the NCR were beginning to turn the tide and win. While up top, they were losing.

Up on top, Cassandra, along with Cassidy, Boone, and ED-E acted as sniper support for the surface of the Dam. As soon as the Legion was quelled from inside, Alejandro and the rest of his group headed to assist the troops and repel the invasion above.

Alejandro, who took centerpoint, was all decked out in Custom Power Armor and carried a minigun dubbed 'The Avenger', which mowed down any Legionnaires in its path. Meanwhile in the front lines, Paladins of the Brotherhood of Steel acted as a shield wall for the NCR troops. Raul, wearing fireproof metal armor, carried a Flame Launcher to repel the enemy. Gannon adorned some electrified Tesla Power Armor and used a plasma rifle which could literally melt its targets. Following Al's six, Lily wielded a devastating grenade launcher named 'Peacemaker', while Veronica carried the missile launcher Annabelle for long ranged strikes. Trailing them, Cassidy followed with her Sniper Rifle along with ED-E and Rex.

The Courier and The Vegas Vigilantes were starting to turn the tide.

Cass and Boone would move up ahead a bit further. Though both would soon be rendered unconscious by Frumentarrii, their bodies hauled away to underground tunnels and right into the Legion Camp after a bit of a hike over some mountains. With the chaos, it was impossible to tell what became of them. All that was known was that they were missing in action.

The bomber flew overhead and dropped a payload of bombs into the Legion forces, killing much of their defense and their barricades. Securitrons, NCR, and misc forces, would all push up and into the first checkpoint on the dam, resupplying where needed. The next stretch included many veteran legionnaires, centurions, as well as elite assassin squads equipped with high powered high cost equipment.

The allies cheered as the bomber flew overhead and dropped the payload onto the Legion before flying off in a glorious spectacle. In the next stretch,once their ammo ran dry, Lily Bowen used her sledgehammer, 'Oh Baby!' to clear a path as Veronica used her Zapper Fist named, 'Paladin Toaster', to do the same. Meanwhile, Rex tore any stray Legionnaire he could find limb from limb as the Courier took center point just beside Raul. They neared the Legion Camp where the Legate was stationed at, in a place formerly known as Spooky Canyon. The Securitrons from Fortification Hill came around and ambushed the Legion's forces from behind, virtually surrounding them.

All that stood in the way of The Courier from the Legion Camp was an immense thick door made of welded scrap, of which he blew open like Alexander the Great slicing the Gordian Knot. Upon first glance, Al could tell something was amiss; it was too quiet. He glanced behind and noticed Cass and Boone were MIA. Suspecting a trap, he ordered Cassidy to take a Stealth Boy and find a vantage point. Up on the slopes of the camp, a figure stood waiting for Alejandro; Legate Lanius, the man from his nightmares. Little did he know that within the camp, two familiar hostages would be presented to Alejandro. He would have to make a choice, or find a way as he came face to face with the Monster of the East.

"And who are you to come before me, Courier? You carry the insignia of the Bear, yet you do not wear it as a soldier of the West."

As Lanius had finished his sentence, the two would be presented to the group, blindfolded, and seemingly slightly tortured. There wasn't much time in between being kidnapped and Al arriving into the camp. One legion assassin each, held the two in place by their arm, while their other hand was firmly gripping a machete. Which was digging into both their throats, enough to cause a bit of blood to run down.

NCR snipers from 1st Recon took to the mountains quietly. They recognized the two hostages as their own, and would hesitate to shoot, giving Al time. Though they wouldn't compromise the mission on such a high value target for just 2 hostages. Several dozen Praetorians emerged and stood by Lanius' side, ready to strike.

Alejandro couldn't believe what he was seeing, the very woman he loved and his closest comrade were both taken as hostages right under his nose. He had to think fast. He laid his empty minigun down and slowly presented himself to Lanius seemingly weaponless. "Taking orders from a dead man, El Verdugo?" He asked.

"Caesar's will is the will of the Legion. All beneath the flag of the Great Bear exist to test our strength. The west shall fall as the east fell. All the tribes that stretch to the setting sun shall bear the mark of the Bull."

"Persist…and learn what Joshua Graham learned at the Dam, and Boulder City."

"You dare speak that name to me? Comparing him to any man of Caesar will only earn you a slow death."

"If you wish my death so badly, then face me, and leave my companions out of this. Only cowards take hostages."

"We shall see how brave you are when nailed to the walls of the Dam; your body facing west so you may watch your world die, just as your family did by my hand, 'El Segador'."

"Sharon!" Alejandro yelled. That was the signal. Cassidy, camouflaged from a vantage point, fired her silenced sniper rifle, taking out the two assassins. Enraged, Lanius grabbed his weapon; The Blade of the East, while Lily tossed Alejandro his chainsaw. Lanius would've chopped off the head of Cassandra had Al not blocked his strike.

Cass and Boone would both wince as bullets whizzed by their heads. The praetorians would charge the armies and fight them, all while being shot at by 1st recon. Cass groaned softly with pain and collapsed onto her face. Boone freed himself, grabbed a nearby rifle and began to spray down Praetorians while Cass would be helped to the backlines to be medically treated. It wasn't easy, but both hostages were safe for now. Even if Lanius died here, Caesar had other generals, ones who would likely seek revenge. Not to mention the other Courier, who was loyal to Caesar. He may seek answers more than revenge...or perhaps both at the same time.

The two armored titans; Bear vs Bull; Reaper vs Executor, clashed. Al's Chainsaw and Lanius's Blade struck against each other, sending sparks flying across the battlefield.

"Your words have done nothing but delay the inevitable! Now, see what my hounds and my blade will bring to you!" Lanius roared angrily.

"Your days of slaughtering people like cattle are over! I'll claim your mask as a trophy when I'm through Malparido!" Alejandro shouted back.

Allies tried to step in to assist but were ultimately kept occupied by the Praetorian Guards. The bullets themselves seemed to deflect off of Lanius's armor. "What's this guy made out of?!" Arcade asked as he kept firing. Unfortunately, he made a misstep as a Legion spear struck his torso. One of his plasma shots accidentally hit Alejandro, blindsiding him, which allowed him to be exposed. The Blade of the East struck his mask, toppling him to the ground. Lanius raised his sword and struck the killing blow. The blade however didn't go through Alejandro; but rather Lily Bowen, who made the ultimate sacrifice as Lanius cut deep into her torso. She soon breathed her last and fell lifeless upon the desert ground. "Lily!" Alejandro yelled before he picked up his chainsaw and combated the monster in a fury.

Cass watched from afar as they performed CPR on her. Her vision was blurry. She saw a figure go down and she would feel a tear go down her cheek before she went unconscious. Her heart hurt badly, she thought Al was dead. Her vitals were all over the place. She thought this is where the bear died; where the NCR died.

The Praetorians put up a good fight, but they were losing. Especially with the snipers raining fire on them.

Alejandro swung his chainsaw at the Monster of the East repeatedly. In one such strike, the handle of The Blade of the East broke, and Al thrust his chainsaw against Lanius' chest, the spinning chain ripping the armor to shreds bit by bit before slicing open his skin. Lanius too, much like Lily, dropped to the desert ground. He was a brutal warrior, and died like one as well.

Alejandro looked to see the Securitrons, under command of Yes Man taking out the rest of retreating Legionaries until they were out of sight. It was finally over. The battle had been won, but it was at a cost; Lily Bowen.

General Oliver stepped forth to congratulate The Courier and 'The Vegas Vigilantes' on their accomplishments.

Cass was unconscious if or when Oliver checked up on her, being constantly checked and adjusted by the medics. They seemed to find and treat new wounds on her every time they came back. The Legion was good at that stuff; hiding enough wounds to make it fatal, or near fatal as there were dozens of micro-abrasions everywhere, some of which were deep enough to cause internal bleeding. But luckily she was saved by an inch or two. The NCR soldiers turned their attention to the Securitrons and Al, awaiting the verdict on who will run New Vegas.

"Ok, what is this Brahmin shit? I have a feeling we're not about to sing kumbaya here." Asked General Oliver, suspicious.

"Not exactly. The NCR has my full support General. But technically speaking, I'm still House's right hand." The Courier replied.

"Look, I know you're riding high and mighty right now, but you're not just pissing on me, you're pissing on the bear. So if you think I'm going to bend over, grab my ankles, and take it like the Legion, think again."

"Hold your horses General. I don't intend to leave you empty handed."

"Looking to make a deal then? Let's hear it."

"The NCR fought hard and shed blood for Hoover Dam, so I think it'd only be fair for them to keep it. By that same ideology, wouldn't you agree that it's only fair for Mr. House to keep New Vegas? Assuming you're aware of current events, I've now got him on a leash. But he's got his own ideas for New Vegas, and I intend to help make them a reality."

"Listen, we didn't come all this way to be ordered around by an eccentric old man's employee of the month. We set out to make New Vegas the sixth state of the NCR, lost good men to claim the Mojave, and I'd rather spit on the grave of my dead mother than surrender it."

"You drive a hard bargain General, I'll give you that. So here's my final offer; The NCR can occupy New Vegas, but Mr. House will remain its sole proprietor."

The Courier, playing his cards carefully, used false flattery as a bluff. "I was hoping we could settle this like war heroes, and bury the hatchet." He said as he extended his right hand. An eerie silence befell the desert wasteland.

Hardheaded as he was, Oliver conceded and shook his hand. "Sometimes you mess with the bull, you get the horns." The deal was struck, and a new chapter in the Mojave began.

Alejandro and Cassandra met up just outside Hoover Dam to begin their own new chapter in life.

Cass was dressed in NCR Veteran Ranger gear, an Anti-Material rifle on her back, and a new Ranger Sequoia at her side; engraved and golden. She called it "Vigilante Justice."

Thanks to further medical treatment, she was able to fully speak, but had grown accustomed to being quiet. Underneath her cold steel frame was a tenderhearted core, one only Al had seen.

She sighed softly and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Holding her helmet by her side. She wore her 1st recon beret and some peach colored aviators.

"We did it...you did good hon. I think we should stay to celebrate…but I know you're eager to chase down that other courier we keep seeing everywhere. We could start by looking at that weird broadcast from the drive-in. Or... nevermind..."

"Let's savor the time we have. We've got plenty of reasons to celebrate." He said as he hugged her. "We did indeed, Cass. It's over." He liked her new looks.

Later, in Boulder City, a ceremony was held for the fallen soldiers of the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. A cannon salute was issued and bodies were carried to be dug into proper graves. In those days, Boulder City had earned the nickname the G.I. Graveyard, in memory of those who gave their lives to defend the dam. Alejandro was honored by the NCR for his deeds and presented a gold-plated star as an officer's commission. The Courier, fair and even-handed, made sure the rest of The Vegas Vigilantes were also commemorated; their name and legend engraved onto a second war memorial.

That night, they had themselves a great feast in the Lucky 38 to celebrate their victory. Veronica, Cassidy, and Arcade decided to cook dinner that night, which consisted of rare Roasted Brahmin Wellingtons, Desert Salad with Cactus Fruits, Potato Stew, and Atomic Cocktails.

Cass helped with her extensive knowledge of herbs and spices, making the food that much better. Once the feast was over, Cass sighed softly. To think the letter she'd received earlier was...now reversed. This thought made her smile. She wasn't really the social type, and so once the feast was over and everyone began talking, she went upstairs to the balcony and leaned forward on the railing. Looking out at Vegas below, she saw plenty of soldiers and civilians partying and drinking. It reminded her of...younger days, back before she was even 20; just a Private with no hopes or ambitions, living paycheck to paycheck and blowing the rest on alcohol.

Now lay a different future ahead of them, for them both. The feast had made Alejandro's belly full that night, as everyone else's. After a nice warm shower, Alejandro dressed into his exotic cougar themed night clothes and joined Cass on the balcony. "How is the view?" He asked as he witnessed the partying in the streets down below.

"Better with you here."

She smiles a little at her own stupidity, before slowly turning around and giving Al a gentle hug.

"I never did thank you for…everything. I know I'm a handful. I get reminded daily. So...yeah...I'm bad at this stuff."

"It's alright now." Alejandro slightly chuckled as he returned the gentle hug. He figured this was her way of thanking him. "You saved President Kimball and possibly the future of the Mojave."

"There's no one else I'd rather be with right now. I love you Cass." He said just as he heard a familiar sound in the distance; thunder. It didn't take long for a couple of raindrops to fall from the sky onto the shoulders of the duo. "Looks like the Mojave's gonna have plenty to drink tonight. Hallelujah." He said.

She giggles softly at his words, slowly pressing herself into his chest tighter. The cold rain and hot air clashing on her soft skin made her cling tighter to the one she loved.

"I'll Amen to that one. And...I love you too Al. More than you'll ever know."

She slowly pressed her head into his shoulder wantingly. She craved his affection after being apart for several weeks.

And so, The Courier who had cheated death in Goodsprings Cemetery, cheated death once again, and the Mojave Wasteland was forever changed.

Throughout his adventures, The Courier's loyalty between the patriotic NCR and idealistic Robert House was tested. By the time their forces drove Caesar's Legion from Hoover Dam, both factions came to an agreement.

Mr. House kept his promise to keep New Vegas stable for future generations. Having developed a partnership with him, the Courier decided to reopen the Lucky 38 to the public to fund the reconstruction of the city. The ancient casino burst with life once more in its pre-war glory.

Having found solace with her past, Cassandra Ronen; "The Black Viper", was promoted for her heroism. She decided to remain in the Mojave, having fallen in love with The Courier. Fortunately for her, the feeling was mutual. They continued to explore the wasteland, bringing law and order to a lawless frontier.

Inspired by the efforts of The Courier and the tenacity of Cassandra, Craig Boone decided to re-enlist with his former unit. Though he harbored past regrets, Boone embraced his newfound purpose. He spent his leave time hunting down slavers in the desert, his First Recon beret being the last thing they never saw.

Leaving his former life as a gunslinger, Raul Tejada grew content with his age and retired from his adventures. After settling down in Westside, he opened a small business with the locals, who fondly came to name him, "Raul the Handyman". The Courier would always stop by his shop for repairs.

Lily Bowen's sacrifice was remembered as a testament to Nightkin and Super Mutant Races. A grave was erected in her honor in Jacobstown, with Lanius' sword as a trophy. Though never related by blood, The Courier always saw her as family.

Despite previous hostilities, the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel declared an official armistice. As per their agreement, the Brotherhood was allowed to annex territory unoccupied by the NCR, and in return, they helped patrol the wasteland. They steadily grew a reputation as Knights of the Mojave, slaying the savage beasts that prowled the desert.

Though the Brotherhood's peace treaty with NCR came as some relief to Veronica, a distance between herself and her fellow members continued to fester. Disillusioned, she removed herself entirely from the place she once called home and continued her life as a scavenger. She would've isolated herself entirely, were it not for her friendship with the Rose of Sharon Cassidy.

In the years following the destruction of Cassidy Caravans, the NCR established strict trade laws to prevent further loss of life and strengthen their supply lines. Along her travels with The Courier, Cassidy developed a strong bond with Veronica, and became a lifelong friend.

The two girls of the Mojave lived to see New Vegas alight in all its pristine beauty. To celebrate, Cassidy decided to give Veronica what she always wanted; a dress. She could hardly remember what happened next, other than she was drunk, content, and happy to be alive.

With the help of the Courier, The Boomers established a healthy trade relationship with the NCR. Eventually they expanded beyond the borders of Nellis, and began a second settlement at Searchlight Airport south of Nipton. Legends of the bomber being flown over the battle were told for generations to come.

Thanks to medical support, the NCR allowed the Followers of the Apocalypse to remain in Freeside. Old Mormon Fort expanded its services and was able to aid more people, becoming a refuge for the less fortunate citizens of New Vegas.

Arcade had hoped that Freeside would be able to remain independent of NCR rule, but he was nonetheless glad that Caesar's Legion had been driven out of the Mojave. After tending to the soldiers from Hoover Dam, he bid the Courier farewell, and headed west to become a teacher with the Followers stationed there, while keeping his former affiliation with the Enclave a closely guarded secret.

The once uneasy truce between the NCR and the Kings eventually blossomed into a full-scale relief effort for the people. With the Republic maintaining a steady supply of goods and services, citizens and Kings alike were able to rebuild Freeside to house more squatters with little trouble.

After the Attack of Hoover Dam, the Great Khans traveled northeast towards Wyoming, where they reconnected with the Powder Gangers. Free from the influence of the NCR, and bolstered by ancient knowledge and technology, they carved a mighty empire out of the Northwest.

With its logs cleared and its systems upgraded, ED-E continued wandering across the Mojave alongside The Courier and his allies. The Followers of the Apocalypse used the information recovered from ED-E on Poseidon Energy, to develop new methods to harness the energy of the sun.

Thus, The Courier's road came to an end…for now. In the new world of the Mojave Wasteland, fighting continued, blood was spilled, and many lived and died - just as they had in the Old World. Because war…war never changes.