Chapter 74: Fare Well Dunk

The crowd around the barn steadily began to grow. A few curious clanners overheard the noise within and started to investigate. Upon the reveal of the nature of what was occurring within the barn, the clanners then motioned for their onlooking buddies to come and get their own earful. Some NCR troopers caught wind of a growing gathering of clanners around the barn and, once they identified the situation, immediately began jostling for positions around the barn to catch an earful of the show. Inside, audacious moans and screams of pleasure from Kyra continued as Barabbas felt the presences outside the barn continue to grow. Putting her down, the woman caught her breath as she steadied herself. "…Over… already?" she panted as she held onto a wooden pillar to remain upright.

"No. I just don't care for eavesdroppers," Barabbas replied as he stormed over to the barn door, lifting the wooden security beam from the door as he clicked his teeth.

Outside, from the rim of the valley, Cade watched as the door creaked open and a large hound with a saddle was released from the barn, snapping and barking at the onlookers as they began to scatter and flee. He watched as the door sealed once more, and soon enough heard the faint sounds of the tribal squaw return to her ecstasy. He snorted as he looked through his scope. This was hardly the first time he found himself in a position where his view of a target was completely obstructed, but his previous experience with those of the ilk like that of the man inside indicated that distance was his friend. The less aware of his presence, the greater his advantage, and with his mind occupied by coital matters, now was as good as any opportunity Cade would have to collect the bounty.

As he kept his rifle level, he began to estimate where his target could be behind the walls. He calculated his target's mass and contrasted it with the woman's. Their most likely location would be in one of the stables, one of the softer places to lay for the deed. As he saw a shadow pass through one of the cracks in the wood, he isolated their new position. As they renewed their union, he paused to think over where his particular target would specifically be.

In his experience, most legionaries took their mates from behind as was typical for them. This, however, was not a typical legionary relationship, judging from the enthusiasm of the woman. On top? The man was enormous and logistically Cade couldn't see the squaw withstanding the weight for an extended period of time. Cycling through any variations involving carrying and prone positions, as well as considering the liberties and gentleness the young Caesar had bestowed upon his two-legged pet, that would suggest…

"Cowgirl," Cade muttered to himself as he adjusted his rifle lower. Once he sent the bullet, he had thirty seconds or so to make his move before the girl recovered from the shock, as his previous experience with such scenarios indicated to him. Ballistics, trajectory, calculus, and other things Cade taught himself. And most bounty hunters didn't even have a grade school equivalent level education.

"Cade," Amy said as she approached him. "We need to talk."

"Not now, I'm busy," Cade muttered as the hound below snapped at the ass of an NCR trooper, who leapt into the arms of a clanner as they both made their retreat.

"A lot of those First Recon guys are looking for you. And a bunch of clanners think plugging one in you will ingratiate them to Larain," Amy explained. "I overheard a lot of talk, and I really think you should leave as soon as possible."

"Ingratiate?" Cade snickered. "To little Abby? What a joke, it would almost be funny if he weren't marching the lot of them to their deaths. Idiots," he muttered as he stuck his finger in his mouth to feel the wind.

"Cade, I'm serious," Amy begged. "You have to leave now."

"Or what? I'll die," Cade snorted. "I'd like to see them try."

"I don't!" Amy snapped. "You have to get out of here! Please, for me! Just go!"

"…Who are you?" Cade asked as he rose from the ground and turned to face her. "…To give me orders?!"

"…Someone who cares a lot more about you than you ever did for me," Amy answered as tears streaked down her face.

Cade glowered at her silently. Everything Amy had been given since he freed her, the clothes on her back, the rooves over her head, the food in her belly, and the safety she had enjoyed were his gifts to her, and all she had to do was give him a percentage of her earnings and never betray him. Speaking of…

"…You gave away my name," Cade growled.

"…And you left me when I needed you the most," Amy replied. "So that makes us even."

"I should just kill you and be done with it," Cade reached for his magnum as the sound of a slap came from the barn, followed by a renewed vocal intensity surging through the woman in her carnal rapture.

"Before you do, at least let me tell you one last thing," Amy replied. "You owe me that much."

Cade rested his hand on his holster but made no further movement. Amy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "…Duncan, you are the most judgmental thug I've ever had to put up with. For the last four years, I have no idea how you think or what makes you do the things you do. I've tried for years to be your friend, but apart from your name I have no idea who you are. But I think I get it now. I think you don't know, either. If you go back north to the RMX, you'll still be doing the same stuff you're doing now, only maybe this time on the east coast or further north or whatever, I know you don't care. And I think that's sad, you not caring about other people and especially yourself. Just, promise me one thing. Promise me that wherever you pop up next, you start fresh. I don't know why Duncan had to become Cade, but I think Cade's days are numbered, and if you don't care about that, well, I do. I know I'm not your best friend. But you're mine."

With that, Amy turned away and knelt down to her knees, closing her eyes. "…I'm ready whenever you are."

She heard the boots approaching her. She felt his presence navigating around her. She heard him move before her, staring at her before kneeling down to her level. She felt his hand brush her hair out of her still-closed eyes, and felt his breath draw closer to her. She felt his lips press against hers, her tears of joy escaping from her sealed eyes as her heart was pierced. Back at the barn, Kyra's last scream petered out from her lips as she collapsed onto the chest of Barabbas.

"…Holy shit…" she breathed as she pulled her sweat-ridden body from his. "…Why didn't you tell me you had that in you? Damn, no wonder I never heard the girls complain about you in bed, you're so much more than… Barabbas?"

Barabbas lay before and under her, his eyes shut and his mouth open as he snored, his cheek still red from her previous impulsive slap that he ended up punishing her for in the best possible way. Kyra straddled his stomach, annoyed that this massive slab of vitality and stamina was so quick to fall asleep after they finished. Frustrated, Kyra grabbed at Barabbas's nose, prompting him to wake by interrupting his snoring.

"Ack…" he got out as his breathing normalized once more. He looked up to see the world's most beautiful woman naked and on top of him. "…You're still here?" He could only watch her expression for a moment before letting out a laugh. "Sorry, you're too fun to tease."

"Very funny," Kyra playfully glared at him. Barabbas took his arm around the back of Kyra's neck and pulled her towards him. As they made out, Belua took a moment to sniff the air outside the barn. She smelled the unclean odor, a stench she was familiar with though usually from battle. Something about it disturbed the hound, and a mournful howl filled the air in the absence of all other life.

Rosa stood by the newly set up AEG HQ as she watched Natalie and her old man bicker about issues back home. Thanks to the power play by these RMX guys, and a few friends on the inside, they had almost pulled off the second-most successful coup in Vegas history. If it hadn't been for the intervention of the mysterious IA and one of the old man's friends from "out of town," Vegas would still largely be in peril. While Lars said that the Mojave was hardly free of issues, with folk like Arcade and Mr. Boone and Uncle U running the show back home, it seemed rather likely that the usurpers had their pants around their ankles.

Nearby, Jimmy and Lt. Hutsgy were sharing a cigarette. Rosa was tempted to tease her unofficial older brother about how sharing a cigarette was only one degree removed from a kiss, but her heart wasn't into it. Gael had gone to chat with a bunch of Natalie's deputies about any position in the AEG he could take up, now that his team was currently hospitalized and he had no better tasks to be doing, the Rio Grande Federales evidently begin a rather lazy fair kind of organization or however the term went. And the odds were that this was her last night with the AEG, and she'd likely be heading out west with the wounded and civvies on her way home, probably stopping by that city Larain requested until all the bullshit in Vegas finally died down.

"Heya," Larain greeted as he stood by Rosa, taking a swig from his flask.

"Don't you have more important things to be doing than trying to hit on me?" Rosa asked, semi-sarcastically.

"The clans don't take too well to folk giving them too many orders. My job is mostly just to point these guys in the right direction, and as long as it's cool with most of them I don't have to worry about duels or stupid shit like that," Larain grinned.

"Wouldn't that be a shame," Rosa replied. "…So, you swung by to see Joseph yet?"

Larain gulped. He had seen him, he had seen the wounds, and he heard what Melody had told him about the attack. That damn lizard refused to die, refused to leave him alone, and mangled yet another friend of his. Steeling himself, Larain swore that he was going to turn that animal into a wallet for all the grief it caused. Rosa didn't seem to pick up on his emotional state, lost in her own thoughts.

"Yeah," Larain nodded. "He's being his usual accommodating self, I think it's mostly down to Melody cheering him on and pushing him through. I guess he's only human after all."

"He'd never argue with you on that," Rosa replied. "…Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Larain smiled. "…For what?"

"If I knew Cade beat the shit out of you, I would have probably tried to stop him from leaving," Rosa explained. "I know the situation is complicated, but knowing he almost killed you too is just…"

"Rosa, Cade isn't your responsibility," Larain interrupted. "He's a clan issue, or maybe First Recon if they get their hands on him. He'll be gone by morning, and after that, he'll be out of our hair forever. Even Cade isn't insane enough to think he can take on an army."

"…Unless he joins up with another one," Rosa replied, speaking to herself.

"What?" Larain asked.

"Unless someone else hires him. He's a mercenary, right?" Rosa asked. "What's stopping someone else from hiring him?"

Larain thought about the notion for a moment and swallowed. "…You mean like Vulpes? Or like this Scorpion guy the riders talked about? Cade has made a lot of enemies. He's killed enough Ministerio and legionaries to be on both of their shit lists. Asshole probably has his own bounty in both these circles."

"And you're sure that they won't look the other way when a guy who knows all about the inner workings of the Liberty Clans goes to them and tells them all about the deal you cut with my old man, and how there's a whole city out west filled with civilians ready to be struck by anyone with an axe to grind against this new happy family?" Rosa asked.

"…Damn it," Larain cursed under his breath. "…Where's Amy?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her since last night," Rosa shrugged.

"We're going to need some leverage," Larain growled. "I hate acting like this, but with Amy we can limit just how hostile Cade is willing to act against us. We just have to find her before…"

A shot rang out. Milligan stormed out from the headquarters, rifle at the ready to deal with whatever issue the shooter represented. Sometime later, one of his corporals returned, exuberant as she beamed with pride over having tagged that "black-hatted son of a bitch."

The entire headquarters stormed after her to see what had happened, with Natalie, Lars, Milligan, Larain, and Rosa in particular wanting to witness what had transpired. As they did, the talkative corporal explained that while she was on sentry duty, she witnessed a figure stalking her atop a nearby bluff. After taking cover and issuing a verbal warning, the corporal fired a warning shot directly into the face of the figure, causing it to tumble down before her some distance away. As she got a better look at it, she realized that the figure was wearing a familiar black hat and duster. Milligan quickened his pace until he was nearly sprinting towards the location.

As the small crowd closed in on where the corporal indicated she had shot the man, Milligan stopped as he saw the very same black hat from the basin. Cautiously, he drew his sidearm as he closed in. Taking this man lightly cost the life of his mentor. Slowly, he approached the fallen figure and gingerly tapped their back with his boot.

"…He's dead," Milligan confirmed. Larain breathed a sigh of relief while Natalie demanded a runner go and inform her daughter of the good news. The corporal began to celebrate while Lars, in an unusual display of solemnity, bowed his head over the strange figure he'd only just gotten to know. Rosa felt nothing. Something was wrong.

Milligan knelt down and grabbed the corpse by the shoulder. Flipping it on its back, he stared in shock as the hat fell from the body and the red hair spilled out, the remaining eye staring back as the plasma-kissed face of Amy revealed itself. As Milligan continued to examine her, his eyes drew down to her blouse, and the wound on her chest told him everything he needed to know. Cade had escaped, severing his last bond with the Liberty Clans, leaving all who witnessed the grisly sight with a question; if I could do this to her, what can I do to you?

Larain and Daphne oversaw her burial. It was a quiet and modest affair, with few mourners to the surprise of few. Amy had been brought into the clans by Cade, and it was to Cade where her loyalty had been given, not the clans. She had few if any friends, which Daphne figured was the result of a life where her trust had been abused so often. So, she never felt any need to reach out to her and figured the best she could do was wait for her to come out of her shell on her own. And now, thanks to Cade, that would never happen.

Larain stopped digging for a moment to wipe his sweat before continuing. Amy was a Liberty Clanner, and therefore his responsibility to protect. The least he should have done was do a little more to separate her from Cade, he knew full damn well how deep that man's hooks ran through her. Now the most he could do was give her some kind of burial around all the folk who were killed by the Pelt-Brutes. That and bury her under her proper name. As he thought this, Rosa wordlessly took the shovel from his hands and started digging.

If she had stopped Cade, Amy would still be alive.

Once the meager funeral was over, Larain knocked a small and simple cross at the head of her grave. Taking out his knife, he began carving her name into the wood as Daphne and Rosa watched. Finishing, Larain stood back and looked upon his handiwork, looking to Daphne for her approval. Rosa looked on at the name, intrigued at Amy's full name.

"…Are you guys serious?" she asked.

Larain shrugged sheepishly while Daphne rubbed the scar on her cheek. "…She got drunk one night and announced it to me at the end of the last rainy season. Frankly, I'm not even sure Cade knew."

"…Huh," Rosa replied. "I'm sure Uncle Arcade and Ulysses would have had a field day with the implications," she said as she turned away, leaving the grave of America Serrano to the wasteland forever.

Cade walked further and further away from the campfires in the valley. Having surrendered his hat and duster which he was now too well known for, he left the encampment wearing a bandana over his head and a leather jacket, carrying a bag with most of his gear over his shoulder with his carbine resting on top. Amy, the sweet girl that she was, would have given him an hour of a head start. Soon enough, he'd really have to hoof it.

"Those were some sweet moves you pulled ducking out from that place," a voice heckled him.

Cade spun around, magnum at the ready, seeing the old man with one hand raised and the other on his plasma pistol.

"What? I just wanted to give you your flowers," Dalton pleaded sarcastically. "Keeping such a low profile after that big display couldn't have been easy. Hell, I almost broke a sweat following you out here!"

"…I'm not in the mood for a companion, geezer," Cade growled.

"Yeah, I saw what happened to your last one," Dalton heckled. "At least she let you stick her one last time before you got rid of her. That was more than I expected for someone like you."

"Perhaps you'd have rather I sold her," Cade replied. "Something more up your alley, I reckon."

"You'd reckon right," Dalton giggled. "As you can probably imagine, I'm not out here to lecture you about your morals."

"I'm guessing you're here to collect whatever bounty the AEG scrabbled together for my head," Cade mused.

Dalton spat before his feet, wiping his mouth with his free hand. "Naw, what do I need Cali money for, anyways?"

"So why are you here, then?" Cade finally asked. "Upset that I beat the boy you sold all those years ago?"

"That boy is a man who damn well ought to be capable of fighting his own damn battles," Dalton replied. "Nah, I figured if I had the choice between listening to other people jabber about you and asking you directly, the latter option made more sense. Make sense?"

"…How about you put that gun away and we talk like we pretend to be civilized?" Cade asked.

"Any guarantee you ain't gonna pull a fast one?" Dalton asked. The air behind him shimmered, and the televised eyebot positioned itself behind Dalton, energy cannon at the ready.

"…Guess you'll just have to trust me," Cade grinned.

Reluctantly, Dalton holstered his weapon. Cade waited a few seconds before repeating the action. "…Getting sloppy, old man. And here I thought your experience would balance everything out?"

"Have we met?" Dalton asked.

"I probably killed one or six of your guys over the years. I guess it's just down to you, now," Cade answered.

"I guess so. And I guess the two of us are in the same kind of boat," Dalton pressed.

"I can work damn near anywhere," Cade replied. "You, though, a guy like you should have retired or bit the bullet years ago. You aren't a drifter, you're a stray."

"…I'd watch my tongue if I were you, boy," Dalton growled.

"Like there's anything a hobo can threaten me with," Cade snarled. "A dissatisfied legionary pretending he can pick up what the Enclave left off. Your curse is that every side you take after is the losing one. Now I know I'm making the right decision if you're throwing your cap in with California. Do you just have a martyrdom complex or are you just that terrible at fighting?"

Dalton glared at Cade. "…At least I have some kind of principles. You just turn your back on anything that inconveniences you. Whether it's that redhead or these hippy idiots or the one town that was dumb enough to accept you, it's all the same shit to you, isn't it?"

Cade stared at Dalton. "…Who told you?"

"Rosa. She said that Joseph prick thought you sounded familiar," Dalton explained.

Cade seethed. "…Knew I should have put a bullet in that freak years ago…" he muttered to himself.

"Agreed," Dalton nodded.

"Well, why'd she tell you?" Cade asked.

"Because we're besties," Dalton smiled, trying not to puke. "But probably also because she knows I'm the one guy who can fight as dirty as you. Personally, I don't much care for the idea, but I wanted to see you for myself before we probably meet again in the future as enemies."

Cade then made a gesture that caused the eyebot to deactivate its energy cannon and peel off from behind Dalton. "…I'll be long gone by the time you make it back to the camp."

"Not surprised," Dalton said. "I'd be disappointed if you weren't, probably."

"…When you get back, could you kindly do me a favor?" Cade smiled. "That large oaf who's rutting on the community squaw, a lot of people will be really happy if you killed him."

"Barabbas?" Dalton asked. "The new Caesar? You lazy fuck, are you seriously outsourcing your bounties onto me?"

"Hardly," Cade shook his head, chuckling. "I told you for your sake. Barabbas being the new Caesar is disputable right now. Killing him would ingratiate you to Scorpio Oklahomus. He's the one who assigned the bounty in the first place. Based on what I know about the man personally, I don't see me getting along with him, but to a man like you…" Cade paused.

"Like what?" Dalton asked.

"…Someone who values the "good old days" might have quite a bit of common ground with the real Caesar. You can't bring back the old one from the dead, but if you… value your principles oh so much," Cade grinned, "well, it's not like you're getting any younger. Farewell, geezer. And be sure to give Cassidy my warmest regards."

With that, Cade turned away from the lonely old man and left him to his own devices. Dalton watched as the figure retreated further and further into the distance, seeming to outright disappear as a gust of wind kicked up enough sand to cover him. Shaking his head, Dalton turned back and made the long trek back to the camp.

On his way back, Drago rode up on his beast, crossing by Dalton as he scouted the outskirts of the camp.

"Ave, true to Caesar," the big legionary saluted.

"Sure," Dalton nodded.

"There's been a bit of a commotion back at the camp, in case you were unaware. The sniper, Cade, made his escape after breaching the hospitality of this Sovereign," Drago explained.

"Oof," Dalton replied, deadpan.

"I know a bit of your past through what Falco has told me. I'm sure he can convince Barabbas to overlook your prior indiscretions against the Legion if you were to aid us in the future. Despite how he looks, Caesar Barabbas is very forgiving."

Dalton bristled at the title. "…I'm sure he is."

"…Have you seen anything to report about the sniper?" Drago finally got around to asking.

"…Nope," Dalton shook his head as he continued his trek back to the camp. Drago snapped the reins of his hound as he stormed out into the wasteland, in a patrol that was all but destined to fail. Returning back to camp, he reported his lack of findings to Falco.

The senior centurion, in turn, went to report said findings to Barabbas. Stopping outside the barn, he paused to listen to any faint noises that would indicate the new Caesar's preoccupation. Satisfied by the silence, he approached the door and knocked sharply against the wood. Turning away to lean on the arch, he waited for the latch inside to open and for the heavy wooden gate to creak open.

A heavily panting young woman with straight wet hair peeked out from the entrance. "…Oh, Falco. What's up?"

"…Is Caesar Barabbas busy?" Falco asked, not looking in Kyra's direction.

"He's sleeping. I kind of put him through the wringer. I can take a message, though," Kyra replied in between breaths.

"Wake him up," Falco stated, staring straight ahead.

"He's out of it. I can tell him what you have to report," Kyra replied.

Falco glared at Kyra out of the corner of his eye. "…A sword of compromised build serves no one."

"…Are you accusing me of something, Falco?" Kyra retorted.

Falco closed his eyes. "…I suppose I only have myself to blame. I did beg for your help with the previous matter involving the executions. And I'd be hypocritical if I were to criticize whatever your involvement with Barabbas is. Tell me, is your relationship with him romantic or merely physical?"

"How is this your business?" Kyra growled.

"His mental state is my business, considering that he is to rule Dallas and that he'll need to be a warrior to do so. Therefore, whoever is being allowed to influence him is my business," Falco pressed.

"Well, you didn't seem to have much of a problem when I got him to spare the lives of your friends," Kyra shot back.

"I accept that. But if he becomes too soft, he'll become brittle. The last place you would want your sword to break is in the middle of a battle, and it seems to be one fast approaching. Now, what the two of you do in your privacy is no issue or matter of importance to me. But if you're going to spend time with Barabbas in so intimate a manner, I can only ask you to remember that Barabbas is beholden to far more than you alone," Falco explained.

"…What did you need to tell Barabbas?" Kyra asked.

"The assassin who lost the Sovereign election has fled the encampment. Our patrols have lost all sight of him," Falco relayed.

"…And?" Kyra asked.

"That is all," Falco said as he picked himself from the arch and marched away. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Kyra stuck her tongue out at the centurion as she shut the doorway. Returning to Barabbas, she lay back beside him as he groggily stirred himself awake. "…Someone at the door?" he asked in a haze.

"It was Falco," Kyra whispered in his ear. "One of these Liberty Clanners got upset and took his ball out into the desert."

"…That's it?" Barabbas yawned. "That's nothing. Doesn't sound like a problem I needed to worry about. Paranoid old bastard, no wonder his hair went grey early," he muttered as he pulled Kyra closer to him. "Comfortable?"

"Yes," Kyra replied with a smile.

"Was talking to the other lady," Barabbas stated.

Belua panted as Barabbas and Kyra settled up further against her stomach. "…That's nice," Barabbas yawned. "Good doggie," Kyra purred as she leaned against Barabbas. As Falco's words echoed in her ear, she pulled herself even closer to Barabbas. Remembering Barabbas the warrior, Kyra snaked an arm around the back of his neck and silently swore to herself that she would help him find a different path. The Legion had more than enough warriors. Maybe a warrior wasn't what they needed?

Nemesio took a drink from his canteen as his priests went about their business for the afternoon. Sawney was currently picking the legs off a radscorpion he'd put over the bonfire his servants had made for him. Vulpes was sleeping like a baby, despite his lack of need for the activity. Things were looking great for the Ministerio, and soon enough they would be heading down south to menace the Rio Grande. The thought of so many down south ripe for liberation whet the appetite of Bishop Nemesio and his fanatical devotees, and Sawney just wanted a bunch of meat. Vulpes didn't really care much but so no reason to interrupt their festivities, the death of the Oracle putting him in a contented and agreeable mood.

Sawney shoveled more radscorpion into his gullet as the figure approached the main center of the camp. The priests, who paid the intruder little mind, suddenly realized that their security had been breached and began sounding the alarm and raising their weapons. Nemesio looked up from his daily devotional to see the stranger approach the center fire. Sawney just shot him a look of derision, rolling his eye as he went back to his meal. Vulpes sensed the presence and sat up, motioning the rest of the priests to lower their weapons so he could talk to the newcomer.

"…Can I help you?" Vulpes asked.

Cade shifted his duffle bag and carbine. "…You guys got any work for me?"