By all means, he should be dead. After all, he'd just been dealt a killing blow via bullet to the head. Fitting then, that he was still alive. He'd cheated death, as they had. Though that was only his most recent memory. He also recalled being blown up. He recalled being beaten and punched to death. The memories of his death seemed endless, even… comical, in a morbid sense. But he remembered things going differently as well. Being told to fire the nukes at the Long 15 without hesitation. Being told to fire it upon the Dry Wells instead. The idea of wiping the slate clean, and firing at both. Not firing upon either. Standing side by side with them, fighting off the horde of the Marked Men that walked across the Divide, living the rest of his days in the ruined old world town of Hopeville.
But this place, it wasn't Hopeville. It was blindingly white, nothing around for miles. Nothing but a blank, empty space- a purgatory. Death didn't scare the man who wore the flag of the old world. The afterlife was just a new world- a new world, where he still carried the garbs of the East he walked, as the sixth courier who destroyed his home had walked the West. Another world to carry the name he took from a book of old history- from the nation of America still existed, long before the bombs fell and long before the Bear tried to reinvent it the system of governance that led to the corruption the gave the world nuclear fire. The seventh courier, a follower of the Bull- the Legion, began to walk. To where and for how long, he did not know, nor care. He wandered the void, as he had once wandered the East for Caesar. He was a courier, it was only natural that he would wander.
Ulysses tore his name from the pages of history. He sought to help build a new world, untainted by the old one. He sought to cut the throat of the Bear- destroy the supply line to the New California Republic. His head was filled with different ways that outcome came to pass. The different ways the Courier had met him. Whether they took him down with words or fists, joined them or fought them, killed them or fought by their side- all of the possibilities ran in his mind, one by one, as if all things had truly come to pass.
The sound of clacking footsteps originating from someone other than himself gave him reason enough to cease his wandering. Gazing over his shoulder, the sight of an aged man in a business suit carrying a silver briefcase entered his eye. The man smiled as he grew closer to the courier. "How nice it is to… meet you, Mr. Ulysses," he spoke, his voice raspy and his speech patterns reminiscent of someone he spoke to when crossing the sands of the Big Empty.
Ulysses turned to face the man approaching him. "You know of me, I gather. How that may be, I am uncertain. Woke up here, in this place, though I did not sleep. You have the answers to my questions, were I to bet."
The man smiled. "Yes. You have questions… I… have answers. My new… employer informed me that this, ah, would be the case. So, here I am. My new employer… has insisted I in…traduce myself as 'G-man.' They say it is… recognizable."
"G-man… hmm. Seen the name in terminals left running from the old world, I believe. A derogatory slang for a government employee, based on context clues. A place as empty as this… what use is a governing body?"
"You seem to be… mistaken, sir. No government is… needed here. Not in the… Canvas Space. Perhaps on this, ah, 'BattleWorld' that my… new… employer speaks about."
"Canvas Space?"
"Yes… this, ah, white void around us. My new employer calls it… the Canvas Space. The fabric of… reality, where new, ah, ideas are formed. Although, I have sometimes heard him… call it… The Source."
"Why am I here then?"
"My new employer sees… potential in you. They see you as… someone who could be a herald. A herald for his… business partner. They seek to, ah, forge a world by… taking… elements, from others."
"They seek to build a new world, by taking from the old? Interesting. Wonder whether they do this as those of the Divide did, by taking what was there and forging something wholly unique, or if they wish to cling to the past as those who gather under the Bear have done."
"I cannot say for… certain as to which outcome they seek. All I am here to do is propose you a, ah, business deal."
"Why would I deal with you, G-man? You know of me, but I know nothing of you, nor these employers. If this is the afterlife, then know my faith lies still with Caesar. I will not herald the ideals of mine who do not confront me themselves."
"My new employer… they call themselves… The Visitor. They wish you to be a herald of one they call… The Beyonder. The two are trying to forge… a BattleWorld, as they, ah, call it. The role of herald, ah, that my new employer wishes to… bestow upon you, is no different from your… current occupation. A herald is… much like a courier. One could argue… they are one and the same. A courier… carries packages. A herald, ah, carries messages. What are… packages, if not boxes that contain, ah, messages?"
"Then you wish for me to be a courier of ideals? Someone who cares for such things… odd that they chose me. Your employers must know who I am. Perhaps the word spread once the Courier left the Divide. Then again, did leave an impression on folks. White Legs twist their hairs, in some sort of respect to me. Though, did not take it as such, walked the sands of the Big Empty, met a brotherhood elder there. Made way towards the Sierra Madre, a place I refused to go. Met a brotherhood circle member, too, at the Big Empty- said she was hunting the old man down. Unsure of specifics, but aware I must be known of. So then why? Why me?"
The G-man grinned. "Perhaps… you… speak to them… in a way. The, ah, Beyonder insisted no need for a… herald. Yet, still… my new employer, ah, insisted on you being one. Spread the word of his… abilities… to the inhabitants of this so-called… BattleWorld."
"No real choice in the matter, it seems. No way to return to Mojave from this place- nor to the Divide. Can only see this as a deliberate decision. This… Visitor. For them to have you meet with me here instead of the Divide, well, I suppose shows their true colors."
"Please, make no mistake as to my… new… employer's intentions. You are a guest here… in the Canvas Space. My new employer could, ah, just as easily send you back to the… wasteland you call home. Although, knowing how they are, I believe they may just, ah, send you to be… dealt with, for your personal… holocaust, as it were." A slight smirk rested on the G-man's lips.
"And so you have me cornered, as the Bull cornered the Bear at the Hoover Dam. Very well then. I'll hear out this offer. Decide whether to be your herald, or whether to be thrown to the teeth and claws of the Bear. Death does not scare me, so any outcome is fine by me."
Adjusting his tie, the G-man's grin faded to that of a slight smile. "So good to have you… on board, Mr. Ulysses. You have but one simple task under our… employment. Simply do as you would, ah, normally… as a courier. Wander. Wander the… worlds. Scout the lands and, ah, see the viability of their… potential. So many worlds are considered… for joining the BattleWorld, you see, but not, ah, all can be there."
"You wish me to be a scout. A scout for your so-called employers, so they can determine whether or not to rip land away from those who settled there. Is this wrong?"
"If memory serves… it is something you have done… before. Albeit, in the name of… Caesar. Even betrayed your own, ah, tribe, I recall."
"You dare insult me with the mention of my tribe?"
"Not… insult. Merely… state facts."
An ice-cold glaze washed over Ulysses' eyes as he stared down the man before them. For some reason, he hadn't noticed until now that neither one had blinked the entire conversation. Everything about this- the G-man, the Beyonder and especially this talk of the Visitor- it all did not sit well with him. This role of "herald," clearly had a deeper purpose he didn't understand. Perhaps one he was not meant to know.
"I will be this… herald. At least for the time being."
The words that left Ulysses' mouth surprised him, though he didn't show it. He was sure he was about to decline the offer. No, not sure- he was certain he was about to say he'd rather be thrown to the Bear's den than work on such terms. Something made him change his mind at the last possible second, though what it could have been eluded him.
The G-man smiled. "Very well then, I am most… excited to hear you will be, ah, working with us. Allow me to get your… business card." He held up his hand and attempted to snap his fingers. This was clearly something he hadn't actually tried before, as it took him a few attempts before he finally succeeded.
SNAP!
The snap echoed throughout the white void, causing Ulysses to step back in surprise. A small slit appeared in the area, glowing a different, calmer shade of white as opposed to the harsh, blinding white around him. A small rectangular card slowly emerged from it, accompanied by the sounds of a printer- though Ulysses had no clue what that sounded like. Once it had finished, the portal closed, leaving the card in the air. Ulysses stared at it, eyeing it curiously, not sure what to make of it.
"Well, go on, Mr. Ulysses. Accept the… card. It is not often one receives a gift such as this from… The Visitor, themselves."
After a moment of hesitation, Ulysses grabbed the card out of the air, bringing it closer to him.
It was white, like the world around him. The texture was that of a hard plastic, though there was a noticeable huge crack in it, from which a white light seemed to glow. Across the card, in simple, arial font and bold, black text, two words- a phrase, to be specific.
"Visitation Rights."
Ulysses flipped the card over. It was blank, though the crack stretched over it as well. Just as he was about to ask the purpose of it, the card slipped from his hand- and inside of his skin, passing painlessly through his flesh, leaving no wound behind.
"What…" he muttered, his eyes widening in shock.
"Do not worry, no harm can come to you now," the G-man said with a smile. "My new employer has… gifted you the ability to… travel worlds. Though, as your card has been, ah, damaged, you will not be able to do so… voluntarily."
"What have you done to me?"
"Your body will now… teleport, at random to, ah, random points in space and time… across this… multiverse, that the Visitor has, ah, selected… for you."
"Teleport? At random? I see. Tricked me with your words, as those who carry the flag of the Bear would."
"Tricked? No… As I said previously, no, ah, harm shall come to you. You have been, ah, how did they put it? …Marked as 'essential,' in a sense. All the damage you take… won't be able to kill you. Just leave you… unconscious."
"Essential to what?"
"They… did not say. But, I'm afraid our time has, ah, come to a close, Mr. Ulysses. I do apologize for the… inconvenience, but it appears your Unstable, ah, Visitation Rights has begun to kick in."
Ulysses felt his body tingle. He looked down at his hands, and saw the white glow emanate from his body. He looked into the G-man's eyes. "Tell your employers that the courier will wander these worlds- but they will only be a Herald for what they believe in."
The G-man smiled. "That was what they hoped for."
Before he could respond, Ulysses was enveloped in a blinding white light.
When the light faded, he was in an unfamiliar place, full of rolling green hills. With nothing else to do, he walked towards the east, as he had always done.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this one. Remember to R&R, and join the discord if you're interested! Link in the bio on my main page.