Al 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.