Chapter Ten: The Best Laid Plans
Boone narrowed his eyes as he watched Cass and Sunny Smiles march up the hill with a dark-haired woman sporting leather armor.
So that's Jaydon, huh, he thought.
He remembered what Cass had told him about Jaydon, the agent of Yes Man/Him. On instinct, he withdrew his sniper rifle and aimed it at Jaydon's head. Ruby raised an arm in front of his weapon.
"Don't," she murmured. "I want to talk to her."
"Are you nuts?" he asked with a raised brow. "This woman tried to kill you."
"I know," Ruby said. "I'd still like to talk to her."
Reluctantly, Boone lowered his sniper rifle but didn't holster it. He glanced over at Doc Mitchell, who merely shrugged. The elderly doctor moved closer to Boone, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Everyone shifted their gazes to Jaydon, Cass, and Sunny Smiles as the three reached the top of the hill.
"We found her at the entrance," said Cass as she nodded at Jaydon. "What do you want us to do with her?"
If it were up to me, we'd kill her and be done with it, thought Boone. She's the reason Yes Man is in power in the first place.
Jaydon's heart pounded in her chest as Cass and Sunny Smiles escorted her to the cemetery. Anxiety slithered through her gut as she trudged uphill, keeping her hands firmly at her sides and clearly visible. In her peripheral vision, she saw the man wearing green cargo shorts point his sniper rifle at her.
Smart move, she thought.
As Jaydon grew closer to The Courier, she watched the man in the green cargo pants lower his weapon. When the three women reached the top, the man in the green cargo pants turned the full force of his glare upon her. Jaydon shifted her attention to Ruby, whose light brown eyes studied Jaydon.
What is she thinking right now, she thought.
"We found her near the entrance," said the brunette woman from behind. "What do you want us to do with her?"
Jaydon could hear the venom dripping from Cass's voice. Up close, Jaydon noticed The Courier's soft face, her dust-covered Vault 13 jumpsuit, and dirt-smudged hands. Yet beneath the dirt and grime, she saw a woman who could survive anything.
In a way, she's just like me, Jaydon thought.
"You're the one who shot me in the head?" Ruby finally asked.
"That's right," Jaydon replied.
"But you didn't kill me. Why?" Ruby inquired, folding her arms and leaning to one side.
"Because even though everyone within New Vegas hated you one way or another, you didn't deserve to die," Jaydon replied.
"But you still shot me anyway," Ruby countered.
While Ruby was right, the words still stung. However, Jaydon maintained The Courier's gaze.
"I had to make it look like I'd killed you," she replied. "I had the Securitrons send word of your death to Yes Man, and then I told them I would take care of your body."
"By bringing me to the Followers of the Apocalypse," Ruby said.
"Yes," said Jaydon.
She could feel her pulse in her ears as she waited for The Courier's response. Without thinking about it, she chewed her upper lip.
"So, my next question is, what does Yes Man have on you that forced you to ally with him?" Ruby asked.
Cass asked me the same question, thought Jaydon. But even now, I don't feel entirely comfortable laying all my cards out on the table.
"Yes Man has something I need and in order to get this thing, I had to work for him," she responded.
"And what is that?"
Ruby's voice was soft, so soft, that if Jaydon wasn't a synth she wouldn't have been able to hear the question.
Should I tell her the truth, she thought. Is it even worth it?
Jaydon debated back and forth, even as she knew Ruby was waiting for her response. Finally, Jaydon relented.
"What I'm about to tell you is extremely sensitive information," Jaydon began. "I don't know how widespread these rumors are, but I am a synth. I was created by an organization called The Institute. Every synth has a specific role within The Institute. Mine is to track down runaway synths and bring them back to The Institute. When Ruby left New Vegas to exterminate the last of the Fiends, I was hunting down a synth who was looking to join the Kings."
"Gabriel Baker was a synth?" Cass asked with a raised brow.
"Gabriel Baker, Institute designation G5-22," Jaydon replied with a nod. When she saw the widened eyes of her audience, she felt the weight of her words.
To the Institute, we're all just pawns, she thought. To be discarded whenever we're no longer useful.
She'd never understood what it felt like to be used before working for Yes Man. If she ever escaped from his clutches, she vowed never to work for the Institute ever again. Pushing these feelings aside, she kept going.
"I don't mean to upset anyone, but that is how the Institute categorizes its synth. As a Courser, it's my duty to bring Gabriel back to the Institute. I'd tracked him to New Vegas when-
"Yes Man found him and forced you to work for him," Ruby finished and Jaydon nodded. Ruby sighed as a light breeze rustled through her short curls. "While I don't appreciate being shot in the head again, I can also understand why you did what you did."
"What do you want us to do with her?" Cass inquired.
"Do you really want to help take down Yes Man?" Ruby asked.
"I do," Jaydon responded.
The man in the green cargo pants raised a brow and looked at her. "You can't be serious."
"She just admitted she was hired to kill you," Cass added.
"She also confessed that Yes Man forced her to work for him," Ruby added. "If she wants to help take Yes Man down, then she's an ally at least for now."
Cass, Sunny Smiles, and the man wearing cargo pants all looked at Ruby with raised brows.
To be honest, I don't blame them, thought Jaydon.
"I'm not saying we should trust her, but we'll need all the warm bodies we can get to take down Yes Man," Ruby added. "Go ahead and put her in the old schoolhouse for now and do not let anyone near it."
"And leave her there by herself?" Sunny Smiles asked.
"No, Cass, Boone, and I will guard the schoolhouse in shifts," Ruby replied. "Sunny, you already have enough to deal with."
"It's your call, darlin'," said Sunny.
"Thank you," said Jaydon, and she meant it.
"Don't thank me just yet, your guards will mostly be Boone and Cass," Ruby said.
That's still better than being straight-up killed, Jaydon thought.
With that, Cass and Sunny lead Jaydon back down the hill. Relief mixed with a slow dissipation of adrenaline coursed through Jaydon as she followed the women through Goodsprings.
Even though Cass's trigger finger itched, she complied with Ruby's request. It pained Cass to admit it, but Ruby was right. They would need all the help they could get against Yes Man.
Though I wish Ruby would've consulted us first, Cass thought.
However, she knew Ruby could be stubborn as hell and once she set her mind to something, she wouldn't stop.
Cass and Sunny Smiles escorted Jaydon through town to the old schoolhouse. Out of the corner of her eye, Cass noticed several caravan members and locals peering at them as they passed.
In a small town like this, rumors are going to spread like wildfire, she thought.
"I have something to take care of in town," Sunny said, partially turning to Cass. "The schoolhouse is just up ahead. Think you can make it the rest of the way?"
Cass and Sunny both focused on Jaydon.
"I'm not going to try to escape, if that's what you're worried about," Jaydon said.
Cass then looked at Sunny. "Thanks again for your help."
"Not a problem. Any friend of The Courier is a friend of Goodsprings," Sunny said with a polite smile. "Just holler if you need anything else."
"Will do," Cass said with a nod.
As Sunny Smiles made her way to The General Goods Store, Cass kept her shotgun trained on Jaydon. The dark-haired synth in front of her kept walking silently where Cass lead her. The pair stopped in front of a section of the chain link fence where a large downed tree had created a gaping hole. To the left of the break was a few inches of fence, followed by another hole.
Yes, this looks totally sturdy enough to keep a prisoner, Cass thought.
"Let's go through that portion," she said, pointing with her shotgun at the second hole in the fence.
Jaydon nodded and stepped through the broken fence. Cass followed close behind as Jaydon walked to the wooden front door. Upon closer inspection, Cass noticed the red paint was peeling off the L-shaped building with a small section of wall gone entirely. How the rusted air conditioning unit still remained was a mystery for the ages.
Hopefully, Boone gets here soon, Cass thought.
She lowered her shotgun a fraction as she focused her gaze on Jaydon.
"Just so we understand one another if you so much as twitch in a way I don't like, I'll let one of these Bighorners have you for lunch, got it?" said Cass.
Slowly, Jaydon turned around. Her brows were close to her eyes and a slight frown marred her face.
"I understand," she said.
Without another word, Jaydon shifted toward the front door and entered the schoolhouse.
"Ruby, are you sure about this?" Boone asked, turning to look at her as Cass and Sunny led Jaydon away.
Ruby shifted her gaze to her friend, whose brow was raised as he kept a firm grip on his sniper rifle.
I can't blame him for doubting me, she thought. But I feel like we need all the bodies we can throw at Yes Man if we're going to take him down.
"No, I'm not," she replied, shaking her head. "But, if we want to take Yes Man down, we need as many bodies as we can throw at him."
"Well, looks like my work here is done," said Doc Mitchell. "If you need anything else, you know where to find me."
"We do, thanks again, Doc," Ruby said.
"Hey, it's us who ought to thank you. Without an Independent New Vegas, chances are Goodsprings might not even be here," Doc Mitchell replied with a small smile.
As he walked downhill, Ruby turned her attention back to Boone.
"Look, I know this is a rash decision," she began and Boone snorted.
"That's a nice way of putting it," he replied, sliding his sniper rifle into its holster.
"But if she's willing to help us, she's an ally," Ruby continued. "After that, we'll figure out what to do with her."
Although something tells me she won't go down without a fight, she thought. Especially if what she says about this mysterious Institute is true.
"Speaking of Yes Man, do we have a plan yet on how to deal with him?" Boone asked.
"No, that's what I w to work on," Ruby replied as both began walking downhill. "But first, I'd like to send a message to the 188."
"What for?" Boone asked.
"Veronica and Raul are due for a visit quite soon. Usually, they come together so Veronica can help Raul in case the Brotherhood of Steel tries anything," Ruby replied with a sigh.
Yet another one of my mistakes, she thought. While they don't deserve to die, at the same time, it'd be really fucking nice if they didn't harass everyone who travels along I-95.
"Hopefully, I can get a message to them in time and they can meet us at Sloan," Ruby continued.
The duo approached the Prospect Saloon just as Sunny Smiles emerged from The General Goods Store.
"Hey Sunny, do you know if there's a courier in town?" Ruby asked.
"As a matter of fact, there should be one at the Prospect Saloon," Sunny said, nodding at the front door.
"Perfect," said Ruby, before glancing at Boone. "Looks like our lucky day."
Boone rolled his eyes as he followed her inside. "You know, Díaz, for someone who gets shot at as much as you do, you're the luckiest person in the fuckin' world."
Don't I know it, Ruby thought.
"As the old song goes, luck be a lady," she replied.
Boone watched Ruby and Sunny enter the Prospect Saloon before he made his way to the old schoolhouse.
I really wish Ruby hadn't let Jaydon live, he thought. I understand it, but I don't like it.
The discomfort of that decision swirled in his gut as he kept his gaze straight ahead. He could feel numerous eyes follow him, probably wanting tidbits about Ruby's recovery. He couldn't blame the locals either. To them, Ruby was a bona fide hero. She was the one they had nursed back to life and had rewarded them by making Goodsprings a place where trading thrived.
To them, she's so much more than The Courier, thought Boone.
The former NCR Sniper caught Cass's gaze as he grew closer to the old schoolhouse. Stepping over the fallen tree trunk, he saw Cass's expression lighten.
"Am I the only one who thinks we should just kill her and be done with it?" Boone asked.
"You know I can hear you, right?" Jaydon called from inside.
"You were meant to," Cass yelled back before partially turning to face him. "No, you're not. If I could, I would punch Ruby in the face but she did just recover her memory."
Boone chuckled. "There is that."
"So, what's her plan to take down Yes Man?" Cass asked, lowering her voice.
"Can still hear you," Jaydon said.
"Then don't listen," Cass shot back before turning her full attention to Boone.
"She plans to contact Veronica and Raul to get them to help us," he replied. "Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."
Cass sighed as she adjusted her hat. "Well, strength in numbers I guess."
Let's just hope this works, Boone thought. Or it's lights out for all of us.
While he had faith Ruby would come up with a plan, part of him was still anxious about facing Yes Man/Him. Even though had had killed a few robots with Ruby's help, they couldn't back up their consciousness as often as Yes Man.
"I'll take this side and you can take the front if that works for you," Boone said.
Cass nodded. "Works for me."
"That's the whole message," Ruby said removing some caps from her pocket. She placed the pile in front of the courier, a young man with short, brown hair. "I need that delivered as soon as possible to Trading Post 188. Can you handle that, Tyler?"
Nat King Cole crooned from the radio within the Prospector Saloon as customers enjoyed their drinks or sat and chatted. As usual, Trudy stood behind the counter providing refreshments and local gossip.
Tyler sat across from Ruby and looked up from writing, his hazel eyes growing large at the stack of caps in front of him.
He reminds me of a younger version of myself, she thought. Before I was shot in the head the first time.
"Deal," he said, taking the caps and placing them in a bulging pouch around his waist. Tyler then scribbled the rest of the message.
"I appreciate it," Ruby replied with a charming smile. "Stay safe out there."
"Thanks, you too," said Tyler. Once he'd finished writing, he folded the piece of paper and slid it into his jeans pocket.
Ruby took another sip of her Sunset Sarsaparilla as she watched Tyler rush out the door. In her peripheral vision, she saw Trudy turn to look at her.
"Looks like business as usual," she said.
Ruby nodded. "It is."
"So, what's this rumor about Yes Man taking over New Vegas?" Trudy asked, placing one hand on the counter as she leaned against it.
Of course she's asking this question, thought Ruby. Because at least until recently, Yes Man and I were allies.
She sighed as she leaned back in her booth. She removed a stray strand of hair from her face. "Supposedly, he hired someone to kill me so he could take over New Vegas."
"Any idea why?" Trudy asked with a raised brow.
Ruby shook her head. "No idea. My best guess is, this is a result of Yes Man's upgrade."
"Which is?" Trudy prompted.
Ruby took a long drink from her sarsaparilla. "Shortly after the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, Yes Man told me he found some string of code that allowed him to upgrade himself to be more assertive. He said that as a result of his upgrade, he'd be offline for a while."
She had replayed that conversation repeatedly in her mind ever since she'd regained her memory. It was the only explanation she could find for Yes Man's upgrades. What still stumped her, was the reason for those upgrades.
"But he didn't tell you when he would come back online," Trudy said.
"That would be correct," Ruby responded.
"Machines like that can't be trusted," Trudy said, as she grabbed a dishrag and began scrubbing the counter. "After you get your friends gathered together, what's next?"
"It's time to see what our new ally knows," Ruby said, sitting up and grabbing her Sunset Sarsaparilla. "How much do I owe you for this?"
"For you, it's on the house," Trudy said.
As usual, thought Ruby.
She fished some more caps from her pocket and placed the pile on the counter in front of Trudy.
"Keep the change," she said and walked out the door.
Many of the residents stopped and waved, and Ruby returned the gesture. Some caravan members removed their hats and nodded at her.
These people look up to me. All because I threw out the NCR and Caesar's Legion back at Hoover Dam, she thought.
The reverence had always bothered her, in part because she felt it was undeserved. Things hadn't turned out the way she'd hoped after the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. The Fiends had claimed outer Vegas, the Brotherhood of Steel was constantly harassing travelers, and highwaymen continued attacking travelers on the roads despite her best efforts. She could still hear the echo of General Oliver's words eight months ago, taunting her as if it were some ghost from beyond the grave.
Do you know what you're doing? Making a nation – like you think you're doing, ain't like chowing down on a pile of Fancy Lad Snack Cakes. Think you got the guts to carve out a frontier? Build towns, protect the roads, run supplies, train troops?
At the time, she'd simply chalked up his speech to his own failures. But now, after months of carving out a frontier on her own, he was right. The thought stung as if she'd been struck with a cat o' nine tails. Even though she had tried, she'd still been delayed by an AI plotting to kill her.
But there's still a way to fix all this, thought Ruby as she approached the broken fence surrounding the abandoned schoolhouse. We just have to take down Yes Man first.
Cass and Boone shifted their gazes as she drew closer.
"I sent word with a courier to ask Veronica and Raul to meet us in Sloan," Ruby said as she stopped in front of her friends. "How's our prisoner?"
"Bored as hell," Jaydon responded.
A ghost of a smile appeared on Ruby's face before she turned her focus back on Cass and Boone.
"So far, she hasn't said much," Cass responded.
"All right, let's go inside," said Ruby, as she marched toward the front door of the schoolhouse.
"Uh, why?" Cass asked with a raised brow.
Ruby stopped and turned around to face Cass.
"Because I want to talk with her, and I want you two with me when I do," Ruby replied.
Cass sighed and lowered her shotgun. "Let's go."
Ruby waited for Cass and Boone before opening the door, which loudly creaked. Ruby wiped her feet on the mat as Cass and Boone followed close behind.
I wonder if that door has always done that, or if that's from the bombs, Ruby thought, and not for the first time.
Rows of chairs lined the center of the room which led to a chalkboard. Jaydon sat beneath the enormous slate and as Ruby grew closer, she saw parts of a laser rifle strewn across the floor.
"Are you cleaning or just disassembling it?" Ruby asked, looking from the parts to Jaydon.
"Both," Jaydon replied, looking up at Ruby now. "How can I assist?"
"Since you're more familiar with Yes Man, you can answer this question. Do you know where Yes Man's central computing is located?" Ruby asked.
Jaydon sighed as she quickly began reassembling her weapon. "Technically, he has two central computing locations."
He has two, Ruby thought. Damn, I guess I really have been gone a while.
"I know there's one in the Lucky 38, but where's the other?" she asked.
"In a side room in the Presidential Suite in The Tops," Jaydon replied.
Shit, the place where I first encountered him, thought Ruby.
"Which means our job is harder than I originally thought," she said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" Cass asked with a raised brow. "It sounds like we just have to delete Yes Man from both places."
"Right, but Yes Man's consciousness is backed up numerous times a day on both servers. Or, whenever he's threatened," Ruby said.
"Cass is right, we'll just have to take out both places at once," Boone added.
"He also controls the Securitrons on the Strip and Hoover Dam," Ruby pointed out. "Which means we have to tread carefully."
"Before we get too far into the weeds on this plan, did you need to talk to Jaydon about anything else?" Cass said.
Because she doesn't trust Jaydon, and I don't blame her, Ruby thought. Honestly, I have no fucking clue how to feel about Jaydon.
"You said you're a synth, does that mean you're part machine?" Ruby asked.
"Yes," Jaydon answered.
"Can you help shut down Yes Man by hacking into one of his central computing places and deleting him?" Ruby inquired.
Jaydon's gaze briefly moved to the ceiling as she considered Ruby's question.
Because I really fucking hope so, or else we're all screwed, she thought.
"Probably, although it will take time," Jaydon replied. "If he doesn't shut me down or erase me first."
"How can he do that?" Ruby asked with a raised brow.
"He's an AI, so he can access the Institute and all its information," Jaydon answered.
"Hold up, you said he can erase you. What does that mean?" Cass asked.
"As I said earlier, the Institute designs each synth for a specific purpose. If this synth doesn't follow the Institute's plans, then their memories, personality, and everything that makes them who they are is permanently expunged," Jaydon replied.
Holy shit, Ruby thought as the gravity of Jaydon's situation sunk in. That's despicable.
"We'll do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen," Ruby assured her.
"If I don't find my target, it doesn't matter either way," Jaydon said as she finished reassembling her laser rifle. "I have nothing left to lose."
Salutations, Loyal Readers, and Happy Fallout Day! I hope you're all able to kick back and enjoy a cool refreshing Nuka Cola (or Sunset Sarsaparilla, if you prefer).
I wanted to inform you all that this will be the last update, at least for a little while. The next three chapters are going to require more intensive editing, and as such, will take me longer to finish. However, I promise the wait will be worth it!
As usual, if you feel so inclined, please feel free to leave a like or comment and I hope to see you in the next chapter!