Author's Note: To user BenRG, thanks for the reviews, but I've never seen any Star Wars movies, so I'll just have to take your word for it. To all of you, enjoy the chapter, and please review.
An hour later, as they approached Primm, Amata stood in awe of the giant roller coaster. "Wow," she said as she stopped to look at it, "I've only seen those in the movies back in the vault. Does it still work? I'd love to ride it." "Yeah,' said Mark sarcastically, "because the first thing they did when they established this place was not to get food or water, but to restore an old-world piece of recreation equipment. Of course it doesn't work. Come on, let's keep moving." "Mark, honey, I was joking." They walked for another couple of minutes, when a man called out to them. "Hey. Stop right there." Mark aimed his assault rifle at the voice, and Amata followed suit with her hunting rifle. The man raised his arms and said, "Lower your weapons. I'm with the NCR. I'm not here to hurt you." As the man approached them slowly, Mark got a better look at him. He was wearing light brown fatigues, with an armored chest plate with the letters "NCR" stenciled in the center. He was also wearing a tan hat with goggles on them.
Mark and Amata had learned about the NCR from the people of Goodsprings. They were a "country" based out of Shady Sands in California, with a government somewhat similar to the old-world United States. Mark lowered his weapon, and motioned for Amata to do the same. "What's the problem," asked Mark, "we're just going into Primm." "Sorry," said the man, "but Primm is off-limits." "Since when?" asked Mark. "I didn't think that the NCR had jurisdiction in Primm." "We don't, but a there was a prison break from the NCR Correctional Facility, and some of the convicts have taken over the town. All of the citizens are either dead or hiding in the Vikki and Vance Casino. The NCR is here to contain the situation, so no one in or out."
"Look," said Mark, "let me speak to your commanding officer. I assume he's somewhere nearby?" The man nodded. "Good. Tell him a couple of couriers wish to speak with him about getting into Primm. This way, you can still say you followed orders, ok?" The man took out a walkie-talkie and spoke to someone. "OK. Lieutenant Hayes' tent is on the other side of the overpass. Just stay on the right side of the overpass, unless you want to get shot." As Mark and Amata walked towards the tents, Amata asked "how did you know to as for his commanding officer?" "I saw it with some of the Brotherhood initiates. They're told to follow orders, even if they disagree with them. If they're given orders by their CO, they'll follow them, no questions asked. Plus it saves us from having a useless argument that'll go nowhere with someone who has no authority."
"I'm Lieutenant Hayes of the New California Republic, Fifth Battalion, First Company. I assume you are the two people I was radioed about?" Lieutenant Hayes was wearing similar armor to the man they had met before, the only difference was that this man was wearing a green beret, with a two-headed bear, the symbol of the NCR, pinned to it. "Lieutenant," Mark said as he shook his hand, "My name is Mark Franklin, and this Amata Almodovar." "Nice to meet you both," he said as he shook Amata's hand as well. "Now, what's your business in Primm?" "We're looking for the man who shot me, and a lead led us here. I need to go to the Mojave Express outpost in town, find out what I can, and then leave. It'll take us twenty minutes, max. That's all I ask."
"Sorry," the Lieutenant said, "but I'm afraid I can't allow that. The situation is too dangerous." 'Maybe for you,' Mark thought. He sighed. "Look, if we promise to help clear out the convicts, then will you let us in?" "Sorry. I have my orders. No one in or out." Mark rubbed his temple. He was getting tired of the "orders" excuse. He was about to speak again when Amata started to cry. "P-pl-please, I'm pregnant and the m-man we're looking f-for almost k-k-k-killed him. We-we just want to know where he went." Lieutenant Hayes looked extremely uncomfortable. "Ok, ok, ok," Hayes said. "You clear out the convicts, you can have as long as you need, ok?" "Thank you," Mark said as he led Amata out of the tent. As soon as they were out of earshot, Amata perked up and gave him a grin. "Wait, you weren't really crying?" "Hey, you have your ways of getting things done, and I have mine." Mark kissed her. "I love you so much." "I know," Amata said.
They walked into town, and saw that it was deserted. They approached the Mojave Express office. Mark saw a couple of Powder Gangers down at the other end of the street that separated the Bison Steve Hotel and the Vikki and Vance Casino. Mark pulled Amata into the office and shut the door before they were noticed. The office was dark, so Mark flipped a switch on the wall. The lights flickered for a second, before they stayed on. The office was nothing special, with a counter right as they entered, a Mojave Express drop box to their immediate left, and what looked like a living area in the back. As Amata looked around for clues, Mark saw something on the counter that made him freeze, something that he hadn't seen since DC. He saw what reminded him of an Enclave eyebot. He was fresh out of the vault when he saw one floating near Springvale. He heard it playing some kind of patriotic music, but he didn't know what it was at the time, so he avoided it. He later learned that "President" Eden used them to broadcast his "we will revive America" BS.
Amata had joined his side and asked "what is that thing?" "Remember when I told you about those eyebots that floated around DC? This is one of them, only this one looks to be a little roughed up." It looked like someone had patched it up with an old-world license plate. Most of the letters had faded away, leaving the letters "ED-E" visible. Mark started to think. He remembered the damage that these things could do, remembering how it turned a raider to ash. "Mark, you look like you have an idea. You want to let me in on it?" Mark grabbed a nearby stool, some tools that were behind the counter, and started to tinker. "Here's my idea…"
As it turns out, it was not that difficult to repair. He just needed to rearrange some wires and had to create a makeshift patch for another hole that was left unpatched. It also proved a useful distraction for the Powder Gangers on the street. Apparently they had never seen a flying robot before, because while they were staring at it, Mark and Amata put them down easily. They were now in the Vikki and Vance casino, and Mark was speaking to Johnson Nash, the man who ran the Mojave Express outpost, about the delivery order for the chip Mark was supposed to deliver. "Oh yeah," said Nash as he read the order. "This was one of those orders. Seemed real strange, but we couldn't turn down the caps." "What was so strange about it?" asked Amata. "A cowboy robot hired us to deliver six novelty items to Vegas. Looks like the payment was received for the other five items." "What did the robot look like?" asked Mark. "It was one of those securitrons with a cowboy face on it." Mark and Amata looked at each other, both thinking the same thing: Victor.
"Anyway," said Mark, "I'm looking for the man who shot me. Wore a checkered suit, traveling with some Khans. Have you seen them?" "Can't say I have. You might want to check with Deputy Beagle." "Ok, where is he?" "The Powder Gangers have him held hostage in the Bison Steve across the street." 'Of course they did,' Mark thought. "Alright ED-E," he said to the robot, "let's go get Mr. Beagle." Mark started to walk away when Amata grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "Aren't you forgetting someone?" "Amata, I need you here to stay here and stand guard. I'll be fine. I need you to trust me, ok?" Amata crossed her arms and stared at him for a few seconds. "Fine, but if you die, I'll kill you, ok?"
Mark and ED-E made their way across the street, and Mark opened the door slowly. The lobby was dirty and musty, and there was a guard sitting behind a couple of overturned tables, sleeping. "Ok, ED-E, we need to do this quietly-" He was cut off by loud marching music blaring from ED-E's speaker. It startled the guard, who fumbled for his gun, but by the time he could, ED-E started firing lasers, one of which hit the guard, who dissolved into ash. Mark could hear more guards coming. "Well, so much for quiet," Mark said. He tossed a grenade around the corner, checked the corner, and started firing.
After a few minutes of firing, including an exploding flamer tank, all of the convicts were dead, and Mark found the man who must Deputy Beagle kneeling in the kitchen with his hands bound. "Are you Deputy Beagle?" Mark asked. The man had messy blonde hair and was wearing leather armor. "Why, yes I am. I don't suppose you're here to rescue me, are you?" "Oh, I am. I also hear you have some information on someone who came through here recently. A man in a checkered suit, who was traveling with a couple of Khans." "Yes, I do, and I would be happy to share that information, as soon as I am released from my bondage." Mark took out the trench knife holstered to his leg, and kneeled down to face him.
"Ok. I'll release you. Just let me make one thing clear. If you try to run, and by some miracle, get away from me, my girlfriend is waiting across the street. I can just call her on my pip-boy, and have her grab you. I'll let you in on a little secret. She's pregnant, so she has a bunch of crazy hormones running through her body right now. I never know how she's going to be emotionally. If she catches you, you're probably gonna wish you were dealing with me, because she was not particularly happy that I was shot by this man. Understand?" "Yes, sir, yes I do." "Good," said Mark as he cut the rope.
After getting the information and collecting Amata, they went back to the NCR outpost outside of town. "Seriously? All of them?" Lieutenant Hayes was shocked. "Yep. All of them," said Mark. "Wow. Here, let me give you some caps for your trouble." He pulled a small sack out of a duffel bag on the ground nearby. "There's a 150 caps in there. It's the least I can do." "Thank you, Lieutenant. Have a nice day," Mark said.
Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. The action is going to start picking up from here. Until next time.