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.