Author's Note: I apologize for the slight delay in getting this chapter out. Life got in the way, plus I decided to rewrite a couple sections of this chapter because I wasn't happy with them. Also, this story now has over 40,000 views. I would like to thank everyone for your continued support. With that being said, enjoy the chapter, and reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.
After meeting with the others back at the gate, and telling them what they had learned, they split into their assigned groups and went their separate ways. Amata, Christine, and Cass were making their way over to where Major Kieran was. As they came upon where they had found Abby, Amata stopped. The others stopped as well. "'Mata, what's goin' on?" Cass asked. Amata pointed at the building. "This building look familiar, Cass?" Cass looked at, and after a few moments, grinned. "Yeah, it sure does. What's it been? A week?" Amata nodded.
Christine looked at both of them questioningly. "Someone wanna fill me in?" she asked. "Sorry, Christine," Amata said. "This is actually where we found Abby a week ago." Amata walked over and looked inside. There was no one in there this time. She didn't think there would be, but for some reason, she had to look, just to make sure. She briefly flashed back to when she first laid eyes on Abby. Cass came up behind Amata and put a hand on her shoulder. "Ya okay, 'Mata?"
Amata nodded. "Yeah, I- I was just thinking. I actually need to thank you, Cass." "Fer what?" Cass asked, a look of confusion gracing her features. "If you hadn't convinced me to go see the King that day, we never would have found Abby. I mean, if we were doing this for the first time right now, maybe we would've still found her, but who knows what kind of condition she would've been in, or if she would even be alive."
"Ya don't have ta thank me, 'Mata. That's what friends are fer. I'm sure that ya would do tha same fer me. 'Sides, tha rugrat's growin' on me. Makin' me feel all protective an' all that kinda stuff." There was a brief period of silence as the two of them reflected over the past week. "C'mon," Cass said, "we should get goin'. Christine's waitin' fer us." Amata took one last look in the building, and then followed Cass back over to where Christine was, and they were back on their way.
A short while later, they came upon a small building whose entrance was guarded by two NCR troopers, one Caucasian and one of African-American descent. The Caucasian man came up to them as they approached, his service rifle aimed at them. "Stop right there. What is your business here?" Amata stepped forward. "We're here to speak with Major Elizabeth Kieran." The man looked over the group for a few seconds. "I can only let you in if you know the password." "The password is 'hope,'" Amata said. She had gotten the password from Julie the first time they had attempted this mission.
The man moved out of their way. "Correct. You may enter." "Thank you," Amata said as they entered the building. It was dimly lit, with an open area, a few chairs along the wall, and a counter. There were two people handing out food from behind the counter, one man and one woman. There were people wearing rags lining up to get food, while others either sat down or stood against the wall and ate. Amata was saddened by the whole scene. She was extremely grateful that she had grown up in a place that protected her from the horrors of the world, and now she was living with her husband and friends in a luxurious hotel where she always had food and a place to sleep.
They walked along the wall to the area behind the counter, and approached the woman, who was handing out food wrapped in what looked like old newspaper. "Excuse me, are you Major Kieran?" Amata asked. She turned to look at them. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, with brown hair that reached about halfway down her neck, and light brown eyes. She was wearing a black coat and pants with red trim, with an ammo bandolier across her chest. "Yes I am. How can I help you?"
"Hi, my name is Amata, and these are my friends Christine and Cass. Can we talk in private?" "About what, exactly? And how did you get the password to get in here? You three don't exactly look like you're in need," she said curtly. Amata sighed. "We got the password from Julie Farkas. Now, can we please talk in private? It's important." Major Kieran's face softened at the mention of Julie's name. "Well, Julie doesn't just give out that password to anyone, so she must trust you. Hang on." She looked over her shoulder. "Jerry, I'm gonna be a minute." The man nodded, and went back to serving the food. "We can talk in the back," she said pointing to the doorway behind them.
She led them into a small back area with some food on a metal shelf. "Ok," Major Kieran said, "what do you need to speak with me about?" Amata straightened her posture, and spoke in an official manner that she had cultivated from dealing with her father for years. "We are here on behalf of the King, who wishes to negotiate a treaty regarding cessation of hostilities between the Kings and the NCR, as well as providing a framework for mutual aid and protection."
Major Kieran scoffed, and her facial features darkened. "Oh, so now he wants to talk? Well, he already had his chance, so you can go back to him and tell him that I said to stuff it." Amata noticed the venom in her voice, and by the looks of Christine and Cass, they did too. Amata mentally went through the conversations she had had with the King. He had never mentioned any actual attempts to negotiate with the NCR. Then again, the way that Major Kieran was talking, maybe there had been some type of miscommunication.
"Uh, Major, could you elaborate on that, please? The King did not mention to us about any prior attempts to negotiate with the NCR." The Major scoffed again. "Like you don't already know." "Yeah," Christine said, "we actually don't, so if you could knock it off with your fucking attitude and just goddamn explain to us what happened, we'd appreciate it." Major Kieran was a bit taken aback by Christine's words. She surveyed the room, and got the feeling that they were telling the truth. Now that she thought about it, she never remembered hearing about any members of the Kings being women.
"Alright. About a month ago, we sent an envoy to the King in the hopes that we could coordinate relief efforts in the area." "Well," Amata said, "from what I know of the King, he would've welcomed that, so something else must have happened." "Yeah, you could say that. Our envoy was brutally beaten, and only barely survived. My superiors ordered the relief effort scrapped. I managed to lobby them to let me carry it out anyway, but with greatly reduced support." She ran a hand over her face. "I want to help Freeside; truly I do, but right now I only have the supplies to hand out food to NCR citizens, which is why we require a password to get in here. I made Julie swear to not give out that password to anyone who wasn't an NCR citizen in need." "Well," Cass said, "I am an NCR citizen, so technically, she kind of kept her promise." "And we promise that we won't share the password. Right?" Amata stated, looking at Cass and Christine. They both nodded.
"Thank you. I appreciate that," Major Kieran said. "The question now is, where do we go from here? If it wasn't the King, as you believe, then who ordered the attack?" Amata thought for a few moments, before she felt a tap on her shoulder. Amata looked over and saw that it was Cass. "Pacer," was all she said. That was when things clicked in Amata's head. Pacer had probably intercepted the envoy before they could get to the King, making the King believe that the NCR had never made contact.
"Major, I believe that I know what happened. I had a couple of run-ins with a particularly rude member of the Kings a while back, a guy who calls himself Pacer. He was not particularly fond of having the NCR in Freeside. He used to be the King's second-in-command. He was probably the one who ordered the attack on your envoy." "Used to be?" the Major queried. Amata smirked. "Yes, used to be. The second run-in I had with him, he attacked me, and well, long story short, he was summarily dismissed from the Kings, so I doubt he will be a problem anymore."
"if you would like, Major, I have a way for you to speak with the King right now, and he can confirm what I just said." "How?" Major Kieran asked. Amata held up her left arm, giving the Major a good look at her pip-boy. "I was not aware that pip-boys were capable of that type of communication, or that the King had one, for that matter." "Well," Amata said, "normally they don't, and no, he doesn't. This particular one, along with a couple of others, have been modified."
"One of my friends has one, and she is at the King's HQ. I can contact her and have her get the King so you can speak with him directly and avoid any miscommunication." Major Kieran thought it over, and then nodded. "Do it." Amata then called Veronica. "Veronica, you there?" A couple seconds later, Veronica answered. "Hey Amata. What's going on?" "Not much. How's Abby?" "Oh, she's having a blast. She and ED-E are chasing the King's dog around and- Abby! Don't pull on that poor dog's tail!" There was silence for a moment before Veronica came back on.
"Sorry, Amata. So, uh, did you need something?" "Yeah, I need to speak with the King. Could you track him down for me?" "Yeah, I think he's…oh, there he is." Her voice sounded a bit distant as she shouted. "Hey King! I need you over here!" "Yeah, King," Veronica said a few seconds later, "Amata needs to talk to you…yeah, just talk into it." The King's voice then came over. "Um, hello?"
"Hey, King. It's Amata. Question for you. Were you aware that about a month ago, the NCR sent an envoy to negotiate with you?" "Um…no, I was never informed about or spoke to any envoy." Amata nodded. "That's what I thought. King, I'm here with Major Elizabeth Kieran, who oversees the distribution of supplies to NCR citizens in Freeside. She says that their envoy was attacked by some Kings, and that he barely survived the ordeal." They heard the King sigh. "Major Kieran, I am truly sorry that one of your people was injured. I swear that I did not have any knowledge of or participate in any such attack. I want peace in Freeside, but apparently someone else had different ideas."
"Thank you, King, for your apology," Major Kieran said. "I am inclined to believe you, based on what I've been told." "King," Amata said, "we believe that it was Pacer who likely ordered and led the assault." They then heard a banging sound, followed by the shattering of glass. "Damn him," the King growled. "He was a good guy at one point. I don't know what the hell happened to him. Maybe I was just blinded because he was my friend. I swear, if he wasn't already banished from Freeside, I'd kick his ass out myself."
He sighed. "Major, as you may have already been told, I would like to negotiate a treaty between the Kings and the NCR, so that we all may benefit. I will, as a sign of good faith, order my boys to stop attacking any NCR personnel." "That is appreciated, King. However, my superiors over at McCarran are likely still a bit wary of negotiating, given our respective organization's histories with one another." Amata grinned as an idea popped into her head. "Major," she said, "what if, say, the Courier were to speak with your superiors and convince them that negotiating with the Kings would be in everyone's best interests?"
Major Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Do you know the Courier?" "Yes, I know him. We are quite close," Amata said. "Yeah, real close, so close that one might say ya know him intimately," Cass said, laughing and bumping Amata's shoulder with her own. At the confused look the Major was giving them, Amata expanded upon that statement. "He's my husband, Major." "Seriously?" Amata chuckled. "Yes, Major, I am serious. He really is my husband, and his name is Mark, just so you're aware. So, do you think that would work?"
Major Kieran thought about it. She, like most NCR personnel in the Mojave, had been hearing tales of the Courier's exploits. What she was most impressed by was the rumor that he gave a dressing-down to General Oliver. She had met Oliver a couple of times, and didn't really care for him. She found him to be an arrogant ass. Not that she would say that out loud, of course. She really did want to help the citizens of Freeside. That was why she had joined the Supply Corps in the first place. She liked helping people. A good word from the Courier might just be the ticket to getting the supplies that she needed.
Major Kieran nodded. "That just might do the trick, and the sooner he could get it done, the better. But a problem that I foresee, should that work, is where these negotiations would take place. Someplace close by that is considered neutral would be best, but nothing comes to mind." There was silence as everyone realized that she had a point. "Well," the King said, "we don't have to figure it out right now. Just get the permission, and then we can go from there. Amata, I assume that you will speak to Mark?"
"Of course, King. He was headed to McCarran anyway, and he should be there, or close to it by now." "Excellent," the King said. "I look forward to these negotiations to help make Freeside a better place for all. If there is nothing else, I need to go have a chat with my boys." "I have nothing else, King," Major Kieran said. "Neither do I, King," Amata stated. "Very well then. I bid you a good day, Major. Amata, I will see you shortly." Veronica came back on. "Need anything else, Amata?" "No, that's all, Veronica. Tell Abby we'll be back in a little while." "Will do. Talk to you later." The transmission cut out.
Amata looked at Major Kieran. "Thank you for your time, Major. We'll let you get back to work now. We'll see ourselves out. Have a good day." "Good day to you three as well." Amata followed Christine and Cass out of the room. Major Kieran stood there for a few moments, and then chuckled. "I like her," she said quietly before she walked back out to the main area to continue serving food.
(Same time, Camp McCarran)
Except for a couple of Fiends, their trip to McCarran was uneventful. They had just walked in the main gate, and Mark had holstered his rifle and taken off his helmet. That was when Amata called Mark on his pip-boy. "Hey, Mark, you got a second?" Mark stopped walking, as did Arcade and Boone. He put his helmet down, and checked the area around him, noting that there were no NCR soldiers within earshot. "Yeah, go ahead babe." Amata then explained what had happened with Major Kieran and the King.
"So, if you could just talk to Colonel Hsu about this while you're there, that would be great." "No problem, babe. I'll take care of it." "Thank you, Mark. We're heading back to the King's HQ, and then we're gonna head back to the 38." Mark's demeanor suddenly changed. "Amata, no. I need you to stay at the King's HQ until we get back." "Why? Does this have anything to do with what House told you?" Mark looked around again. "Amata, I swear, I will explain everything, but for right now I need you to trust me, and stay there." There was silence. "Amata?"
"Alright, Mark, we'll stay there, and I will be holding you to that promise. There will be no weaseling out of it, you hear me?" "I hear you, babe. I'll see you when I get back. I love you." "I love you too, Mark. Please be careful." "We will babe, we will." Mark cut off the transmission. He then picked up his helmet, and then looked at Boone and Arcade. "Let's go, guys."
They walked inside the main terminal building and made their way to Colonel Hsu's office. He was not in his office, so they asked a trooper that was behind the sandbag wall that was near the doors. "Excuse me," Mark said, "do you happen to know where Colonel Hsu is? He's expecting me." The trooper looked at Mark, and then at the group, noting Boone's 1st Recon beret.
"He's down in the supply shack." Mark waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't, so Mark looked at Boone. "Do you know where that is, Boone?" Boone nodded. "Ok then, we'll follow you." They made their way up the escalator and through the doors to the concourse. The hallway that led to the main concourse was dimly lit, with rows of chairs and old vending machines lining the wall. They were walking down to the concourse when Mark saw a female NCR trooper sitting in one of the seats, head in their hands. Mark could make out muffled sobbing.
Mark initially wanted to leave her be, but sighed when he realized that his chivalrous side wouldn't allow him to. He didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse. Likely a bit of both. He motioned for Arcade and Boone to stop, and then got down to one knee in front of the woman. "Excuse me, are you alright?" Mark asked in a gentle voice. The woman looked up. She looked to be of Hispanic descent, in her mid-thirties, with short brown hair and brown eyes. The aforementioned eyes were red from crying.
"Did- did the Colonel send you? I…I was hoping that he changed his mind…" "Changed his mind about what?" Mark asked. "Oh, I guess he didn't send you, then. N-never mind. I'll be okay." She looked down at the ground. Mark put a hand on her leg, causing her to look back at him. "Hey," Mark said, "tell me what's wrong. I'm going to see the Colonel right now. Maybe I can help you out." She looked at him closely, studying his face. She saw the scar on the left side of his head, and other smaller, less noticeable ones.
Based on that, combined with the heavy-duty armor he was wearing and all of the weapons that he was carrying led her to believe that he had seen and was heavily involved in war. It was then she looked into his eyes. Soft, caring blue eyes that sharply contrasted against the roughness of the rest of his face. She got the feeling that she could trust him. She nodded.
"Good," Mark said. "Before you tell me what's wrong, I believe that we should know your name." "Right, um, my name is Morales, uh, Private Christina Morales." "Thank you, Private. My name is Mark Franklin, and my compatriots are Arcade Gannon," he said, thumbing over his right shoulder at Arcade, "and Craig Boone." Morales looked at Boone, and saw his beret. "1st Recon?" she asked. Boone nodded.
"Ok," Mark said, "now that introductions are over, why don't you tell us what's going on." She took a deep breath. "It's…it's my husband. His name's Esteban Morales. He's a Ranger, one of the best, and he…" a mixed look of anger and sadness came across her face, "…he got murdered by a pack Fiends. Goddamn savages laid his body out to rot. The brass won't say it to me straight, but they mean to leave Esteban out there. Hsu keeps giving me bullshit excuses, if you'll pardon my language."
Mark frowned. "So, they can't send a few people to retrieve the body?" he asked. "The problem, they say, is that the Fiends are guarding it, waiting to lure more soldiers into an ambush. "Can't afford to lose any more men to retrieve a body," they said. Apparently, the fact that he's a Ranger means nothing to them." She scoffed. "If you can get Hsu to send some men, more power to you, but I wouldn't hold your breath." She put her head back in her hands. Mark stood back up and looked at his friends. "Guys, we need to conference." He led them a little further down the hallway. Private Morales lifted her head slightly and watched them. She couldn't hear anything, as they were whispering. About a minute later, they came back over, and Mark kneeled back down.
"Private Morales, we won't be talking to Colonel Hsu about retrieving your husband's body." She frowned. She should've realized it. She got her hopes up, and then he comes and dashes them. "Because, Private, we will be retrieving the body ourselves." She was shocked and elated. "Wh-why? You barely know me. Why would you put yourselves at risk like that?" Mark grinned. "I have a thing for helping people. Well, that, and I am the Courier. It is my job to deliver things, whether that be packages, justice, or the body of her husband to a grieving widow."
Her mouth gaped at the fact that she was talking to the Courier. She, like everyone else on base, had heard rumors of his exploits. He was becoming something of a legend. "If it is alright with you, Private, my friend Arcade here will stay with you. He's read a few books on how to deal with grief." She was still a bit shocked, so she just nodded. "Ok. Now, we, um, we need to know where your husband's body is." She came back to her senses. "Right. His body, it's near the old REPCONN building. It's a bit southwest of here." Mark checked his pip-boy. It would be a little over an hour's walk.
"Ok. Hang tight, Private. We'll be back, and you have my word that your husband will be with us." He put on his helmet, grabbed his bag, and nodded to Boone, who responded in kind. Arcade sat down next to Private Morales as they both watched Mark and Boone head back into the main terminal. "Do- do you really think that they can get Esteban's body back?" Arcade leaned back in his seat. "If I had to pick two people to do it, I would pick those two. Boone, he's 1st Recon. Their skills are well-known."
"Mark, well, he's…he's unique. He is a warrior, but I believe that he would only fight to protect innocents, or the people that he cares for. He has a penchant for helping those in need, and to right perceived wrongs, such as your situation. You could call it being noble, chivalrous, or maybe having a bit of a messiah complex. Whatever you call it, when he puts his mind to something, it usually gets done, so if he says that he will bring back Esteban's body, then, well, I believe him." They were silent for a few moments, before Arcade spoke again. "So, tell me about Esteban."
(One hour later)
Mark had called Amata to let her know what he was doing. She wasn't thrilled that he was taking a detour, but she understood once he explained why he was taking said detour. He and Boone were crouched behind a group of rocks about two-hundred yards from the REPCONN facility. Using his binoculars, Mark did a survey of the area. There were six Fiends standing on top of a u-shaped building across from the main building. There was a bit of an incline from where they were, so they were unable to see Ranger Morales' body, but given that the Fiends were there, the body was likely there as well.
"Does this kind of thing happen often, the NCR just leaving the bodies of their fallen soldiers?" Mark asked Boone as he handed the binoculars to him. "It's rare, but it does happen. Usually they try to bring the body back, even if they have to go back for it. In this case, they probably deemed that there was an ongoing threat in the area, making it too big a risk to recover it." He handed the binoculars back to Mark, who put them back in his bag. "You don't sound like you agree, though," Mark said as he took out his sniper rifle and adjusted it.
"No, I don't. We walked here with no resistance, and the only threats that I see are those fiends. This just seems like bureaucratic red tape." Mark nodded. "Isn't that the truth," Mark said as he peered over the rocks. "This seems like something 1st Recon or the Veteran Rangers should have been able to handle easily. There are multiple places surrounding the building that can be used for cover. But, like you said, we're dealing with bureaucrats. You ready?" Boone nodded as he readied his own rifle. "Yeah, let's do this."
Less than five minutes later, all Fiends were dead, presumably. Four of their number had already been killed before they realized where the shots were coming from, but by then it was already too late to mount any type of meaningful counterattack. Mark and Boone were now approaching the area slowly, checking for any additional threats. Boone spotted a couple of fragmentation mines, and shot them before they got anywhere close to them. When they got the parking lot, they found the body of a man dressed in NCR garb, most likely the Ranger they were here to retrieve.
Mark approached the body. The man, like his wife, was of Hispanic descent. He had short, sandy-brown hair, and grey eyes that were open in a state of disbelief. Before doing anything else, Mark gently closed the man's eyes. Mark then examined him while Boone played lookout. He appeared to have been shot twice in the neck, and had subsequently bled out. Boone came over and took off his beret in a show of respect to his fallen comrade. The two of them stood there in a moment of silence.
Mark then sighed. "Alright. Let's get him up so we can bring him home." Mark holstered his assault rifle on his back and went to pick up the body, but Boone stopped him. "Hold up. Don't move it yet. Fiends like to booby-trap the bodies as a surprise for those that come to try and collect them." Boone went down to his knees and lifted the body up slightly. "Yeah, there's definitely a mine under there."
Mark thought for a few moments. "Alright. I'm going to pick up the body and move away quickly. You might want to back up to a safe distance." Boone nodded, and Mark handed his bag to him. Mark flexed his fingers and looked at the body. He had one shot to do this right. Deciding to stop thinking and just getting it over with, he reached down, scooped up the body, and quickly ran towards Boone.
The mine detonated, showering the area with small pieces of gravel. They were unharmed, however, and that was what mattered. He put the body back down, collected his bag from Boone, and slung it over his left shoulder. He then picked the body back up, hefted it over his right shoulder, and took out his pistol. "Ready?" Boone nodded. "Okay." He then looked at the body. "Let's move out, Ranger. Your wife is waiting for you."
An hour later, they came upon the gate to Camp McCarran. He stopped to speak with the guards. "One of you have a radio?" The trooper on his left nodded. "Radio ahead. I need Colonel Hsu and Private Christina Morales to meet us in the main terminal. I am bringing back the body of Private Morales' husband." The trooper looked at the body and nodded, going for his radio while the other trooper lifted the gate.
As Mark and Boone made their way to the terminal, some of the troopers that were training in the repurposed parking lot stared at them and started whispering, while others rendered a salute. Neither Mark nor Boone noticed this, both men focused on finishing the mission. Boone held the door open, allowing Mark to enter. He saw Private Morales standing a little way away straight ahead of him, standing next to Arcade. When she saw the body, she began to cry in earnest. Arcade pulled her into a hug to comfort her, and she buried her face in Arcade's jacket.
He looked around and saw Colonel Hsu standing to his left, next to a woman that Mark was unfamiliar with, although she appeared to be an officer. Mark walked over to him. "Colonel Hsu, I have returned with the body of Ranger Esteban Morales. I hereby turn the body over to you so that he may have a proper burial in accordance with the customs and traditions of the New California Republic."
"Mr. Franklin," the Colonel said, "on behalf of the New California Republic, we thank you for returning the body of Ranger Esteban Morales to us. We appreciate your deed, and we will ensure that the body is treated with the proper respect that is afforded to all who die in service of the NCR." Colonel Hsu motioned for two troopers to come over and relieve Mark of the body. It was then that Mark took off his helmet.
"Colonel, I think it would be wise to allow Private Morales as much time as she needs to grieve over the body before you send it back for burial." He nodded. "Of course. She will be give the proper amount of time to grieve. While you are here, I would like to introduce you to Lieutenant Carrie Boyd, who is the CO of the military police here at McCarran. Lieutenant Boyd, this is Mark Franklin, otherwise known as the Courier, who is also House's right-hand man." Lieutenant Boyd looked to be in her late twenties, with short, light brown hair and dark brown eyes.
Mark extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant." Lieutenant Boyd looked him over, appearing to be sizing him up. After a couple of moments, she extended her hand and shook Mark's. "Pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Franklin. I would also like to thank you for returning Ranger Morales' body to us." "You are welcome, Lieutenant, but I did not do it alone. My friend, former 1st Recon member Craig Boone also assisted me." She looked at Boone. "Yes, I remember you. Thank you for your assistance, soldier." Boone nodded. "I would also like to point out the third member of my team, Mr. Arcade Gannon, a Followers doctor who is currently comforting Private Morales." Everyone looked at Arcade, and Mark gave him a small wave, which he returned with the hand that wasn't wrapped around the sobbing Private.
"Now, that brings me to something that I've been pondering. Maybe one of you can explain to me how is it that the two of us," he said, referring to himself and Boone, "were able to recover the body with little to no trouble, while you have a plethora of soldiers under your command, and for some unknown reason, you were unable send a few of them to recover the body."
"Listen," Lieutenant Boyd said in an annoyed tone, "you may be some bigshot, but that does not mean you can tell us how to run our operations, or that you can just come in here demanding answers." If she was trying to be intimidating, it had no effect on Mark, who spoke calmly. "I am not telling you how to run your operations, nor did I demand anything, Lieutenant. It was a simple inquiry into how the New California Republic handles its business with regards to its fallen soldiers. I believe that you are attempting to search for a deeper meaning where there is none."
"If you must know, I grew up near Washington, DC, and have only come to the area within the past six months. I am still learning about everything that goes on in the Mojave, including the various factions that operate in the area, whether it be the Fiends, the Legion, or the NCR. "Know thy enemy," I believe the phrase is." "Are you saying that the NCR is your enemy?" Boyd questioned. "Again, Lieutenant, you are attempting to search for a deeper meaning where none exists. I never said that. It is simply a way that I like to approach life."
Colonel Hsu then spoke. "Ok, Lieutenant, that is enough. Mark, while we would have liked to recover the body, we have certain protocols in place that we need to follow. Also, the fact of the matter is that we are spread thin from our conflict with the Legion, and with conscription, most of our soldiers are not suited to recovering a body from a dangerous area." Mark sighed. "Well, disregarding the fact that that area hardly seemed dangerous at all, why not send 1st Recon? Or the Veteran Rangers? They are supposed to be the best of the best, or so I'm told."
"Well, Mark," the Colonel continued, "the Veteran Rangers are primarily located at Camp Golf and Hoover Dam. As for 1st Recon, once the Fiend leaders were taken care of, the decision was made to move them to Camp Forlorn Hope." Mark looked at the two of them incredulously at that last statement. "You actually have a camp called "Forlorn Hope?"" "Yes," Lieutenant Boyd answered, "it is our primary forward operating base in the eastern part of the Mojave. What of it?"
"Why the hell would you give a camp a name like that? The term "forlorn hope," basically means "to give up hope." Even without knowing what the name means it sounds depressing. Whoever decided on that name is an idiot." "General Oliver decided on that name," Colonel Hsu said. "My point exactly. Call it Camp Hope, or something that doesn't make you want to kill yourself." Mark sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Look, Colonel, the original reason that I came here today was so that the situation with Alice McLafferty could be settled. The note you sent said to come at my earliest convenience. I'm here now. Are you ready?" "Yes. However, I am required to have an escort if I leave the base, so I will go collect them." Mark nodded. "Ok. I need to speak with Private Morales anyway." Mark turned and walked over to Arcade and the Private, who were now sitting down. When she saw Mark, she leapt up and hugged him.
"Thank you so much. I-I don't know how I could ever repay you. Wait, actually, I do. I have caps. They gave me Esteban's back pay. You can have it. I don't even want the damn money." He looked at her. "Private, keep it. It was his, now it's yours. I don't want it, and I don't need it. I did what I did because I wanted to help." She shook her head. "I still don't get it. You helped me when you barely know me. There has to be a deeper reason." Mark pursed his lips and thought. "Uh, Boone, Arcade, could you give us a minute?" Boone nodded and walked away. "Uh, sure," Arcade said, "I'll just go look at that thing, uh, over there. Yes, that looks interesting." He wandered off, giving the two of them their privacy.
Mark motioned for Private Morales to sit. "You're right. There is a deeper reason as to why I helped you." He paused, sighed, and then continued to speak, not really sure why he was telling her this. "There was a dangerous situation that I was involved in a while ago. There were others there as well, a group of scientists, my dad among them. We were working in a facility on a project. A hostile group had stormed the facility, intent on taking the facility and controlling the project. Instead of willingly handing over control, my dad, who was in charge, locked himself and the leader of the hostile group inside the control room."
"He then sabotaged the control room, killing himself with lethal doses of radiation as a distraction to help myself and the others escape. A while later, I had help in retaking the facility, but my dad's body was nowhere to be found." Mark started to tear up. "To this day, I don't know what happened to his body, and I probably never will know. I can hazard a few guesses, but that's about it. I never got a chance to say a proper goodbye. I had no body to grieve over. I-I helped you because I saw you in the same situation. Grieving, but with no body to grieve over."
"The difference was, you still had a chance. Since the NCR refused to act, which I find extremely shameful, by the way, just leaving one of their own out in the open like that, I took it upon myself, with the aid of my friend, to give you the chance to say a proper goodbye." He looked over at Private Morales. "You know," she said, "you're too good for this rotten town." They both chuckled at that. She sighed. "Esteban was a good man. I think the two of you would've gotten along nicely." "I'm sure we would've."
Mark saw Colonel Hsu coming back. "Private, it was a pleasure to meet you, but I've got other business to attend to." Mark stood up, she did as well. "I-I will never forget what you've done. I hope that someday I can do something to repay you." Mark had a thought. "How about this. You can repay me, by allowing me to call you a friend." She smiled and hugged him again. "It would be an honor to call you a friend." She pulled back. "I hope to see you around," she said as two troopers approached her. "I'm sure I'll be around. Stay strong. You'll get through this."
Mark was approached by Colonel Hsu, with four Veteran Rangers trailing behind him. "Wait," Mark said, "I thought you said that there were no Veteran Rangers here?" "Normally, no, but they've been here on standby for this exact occasion." Mark went to comment on the fact that they could have been used to collect Ranger Morales' body while they waited for him, but decided against it. He could only deal with so much stupidity in one day, and he still had to meet with McLafferty.
"Ok. Do you have what we discussed?" The Colonel held out his hand, and one of the Rangers handed him a folder, who then handed it to Mark. Mark opened it and looked over the papers, before handing it back to the Colonel. "Do you have the evidence?" he asked Mark. "In my bag." "Alright," the Colonel said, "let's move out." They then made their way to the Crimson Caravan compound. The four Rangers surrounded Hsu, two in front, two in back. Mark, Boone, and Arcade trailed behind them. Once they were about three hundred yards from the compound, Colonel Hsu called for everyone to stop.
He addressed the Rangers. "Your orders are to go into the compound and secure the main building. Only McLafferty is to remain. Do not assault anyone unless they attempt to interfere. There will be two of you guarding each door from the outside. Understood?" He received four simultaneous nods. He then looked at Mark. "I assume that you'll be with me. What about the others?" "Boone will be with me as well. Arcade, however, will be heading to meet with some friends of ours."
He nodded. "Very well. Let us be off, gentlemen." A short while later, Arcade broke off from the group and went through the north gate into Freeside. Mark had sent Amata a quick message that Arcade was coming back. They approached the front gate to the compound, and when the guard saw the group, he looked on in shock, not even attempting to stop or question them. When they entered the courtyard, everyone inside stopped what they were doing. As they entered the main building, all activity ceased as well. "Attention everyone," Colonel Hsu said in an authoritative voice, "I need everyone to exit out the back door right now. Any attempt to resist will be viewed as interfering in an NCR investigation, and you will be arrested."
The appearance of and NCR Colonel, what appeared to be five Veteran Rangers, and a man wearing a 1st Recon beret, told everyone in the room that this was serious. As they made their way out, the door to McLafferty's office opened. "What is going on here?" she said, looking around. Mark took a good look at her. She appeared to be in her late fifties or early sixties, with short grey hair, wearing a business suit. She then noticed Colonel Hsu. "Ah, Colonel, it's nice to see you. Perhaps you could explain why this building is now empty besides us?"
"Hello, Alice. I believe that it would be wise for you to step back into your office. We have some things that we need to discuss." "Concerning what?" "Information pertaining to an ongoing investigation. It is of a sensitive nature, hence the need to clear the building." She looked hesitant, but then nodded. "Alright." She went back into her office and shut the door. "You two," Hsu said, addressing the Rangers, "guard the front door, and you two guard the back. "Ready?" he asked Mark. Mark nodded. "Boone, stand guard outside the door, just in case," Mark said. Boone nodded and took his position.
Hsu opened the door and went in, Mark following. Hsu sat down, while Mark put his bag down and stood behind him. McLafferty's eyes flicked up to Mark, before resting on the Colonel. "Ok, Colonel, if whatever this is about is sensitive in nature, then why is he here?" Colonel Hsu decided to just get right to the point. "Look, Alice, I'll be honest. You're in trouble." Mark noticed that her posture stiffened. "For what am I in trouble for, exactly? I can assure you that I've done nothing wrong."
"Yeah, I'm gonna let my friend here tell you, since he brought it to my attention." McLafferty looked at Mark. "You're not a Ranger, are you?" Mark chuckled. "No, Ms. McLafferty, I am not, although I have a friend who said that I could probably pass for one." Mark smirked under his helmet, deciding to be a bit dramatic with his introduction, attempting to incorporate things he learned from listening to Three Dog. He started to walk back and forth behind the Colonel. "I am…the defender of the downtrodden. I am the voice of the voiceless. I am feared by those who prey upon the weak. But you may know me as…the Courier."
McLafferty's eyes widened slightly at this pronouncement. "And you," Mark continued, "Alice McLafferty, have been a naughty, naughty girl." Colonel Hsu stifled a chuckle at that. Mark leaned down, opened his bag, and took out a stack of papers. McLafferty briefly thought about going for the pistol in her desk, but then remembered that she was surrounded by an NCR Colonel, the Courier, and four Veteran Rangers, she thought better of it.
Mark leafed through the papers. "Let's see what we have here…bribery, extortion…oh! murder-for-hire. That one's a doozy." McLafferty shot up from her chair. "You! It was you who broke in here and stole those! Colonel, I want him arrested!" There was silence in the room for a moment before Mark burst out laughing. "And what exactly is so funny?" she asked. "You wanna field that one, Colonel?" Mark asked. McLafferty's eyes went back to Colonel Hsu.
"Yeah, Alice, even if we wanted to, we can't. First of all, compared to what you've done, theft is insignificant. Secondly, he's House's right-hand man. If we imprison him, there could be serious repercussions. So right now, I would advise you to sit down and be quiet, because we are going to offer you a deal." He opened the folder he was holding and took out one of the sheets. He then placed in front of McLafferty. "This has already been approved by President Kimball, and by your superiors."
She looked it over, her face growing redder by the line. "Are you fucking kidding me!? This…this is outrageous! I won't sign it!" The Colonel sighed. "If you refuse to sign, then you will be arrested, all of your assets will be seized and sold off, and any interests you hold in other companies will be seized as well and given to him," thumbing over his shoulder to Mark. She looked at Mark. "What exactly is your interest in this?" "My interest, McLafferty, is that one of those caravans you attacked was owned by a friend. I am simply helping them out, as friends do. You're actually lucky, though. They wanted to come here and blow your head off, before I talked them out of it."
"What is that old saying? Ah, yes. You reap what you sow. You've done bad things and screwed over a lot of people, and now it has come back to bite you on the ass. Make your choice, McLafferty. Either way, you're screwed." There was a tense silence as McLafferty looked between Mark and Colonel Hsu. "Fine," she said, "I'll sign the damn thing." She took a pen and signed four separate copies. "Are we done here?" Colonel Hsu went to speak, but Mark interrupted. "Actually, there is one more thing. I apologize, Colonel. This came up after our initial meeting."
"Ms. McLafferty, are you aware that one of your employees, Christopher Fields, was killed recently?" She thought. "Yes, I did get a report about that. What of it?" "I have taken custody of his daughter, seeing as both him and his wife were killed. There is an outstanding balance owed to him of ninety-five caps. As his daughter is his next of kin, I believe that that money belongs to her." "How do I know you're telling me the truth? How do I know that you don't just want the caps?"
Mark leaned on the desk, staring down McLafferty. Mark was happy to see her with fear in her eyes. "Because, McLafferty, there are far higher amounts of caps that I could've asked for, and the fact that that amount is one of the lowest outstanding payments should be a hint that I don't want them for myself. You're already in enough trouble as it is. Give me the caps, and I will never set one foot in this damn compound again." She looked at Hsu, who nodded. "Fine." She put ninety-five caps in a small bag and handed them to Mark.
"Ok," Colonel Hsu said, "I think we're done here. Alice, there will be a monitor left here to make sure you comply. Send someone to the Followers within one week to see what they need." With that, both Mark and the Colonel left the room and the building. Before they went their separate ways, Mark informed Colonel Hsu about Amata's discussion with the King, and about going lenient on Troike for his assistance in stopping a massacre. After Mark said goodbye to the Colonel, Mark, along with Boone, headed back into Freeside.
He stopped at the Old Mormon Fort to give Julie the good news. Boone waited by the entrance while he sought out Julie. He found her coming out of the tower that held her office. "Mark! Back again so soon? Are you injured?" "No Julie, I'm fine. I'm actually here to tell you that I solved your supply issue." Mark handed her a copy of the agreement. As she read it, her eyes widened almost comically in disbelief. She looked back at him. "Is- is this for real?" Mark smiled.
"Yes, Julie, it is very real. For the next three years, the Crimson Caravan Company will deliver whatever medical supplies you need, free of charge. After that, they will sell them at cost. There will also be a monthly donation, courtesy of Alice McLafferty. There are safeguards in place to ensure compliance. A representative from the Crimson Caravan will be here within the week to see what you need ordered." Julie was flabbergasted. "I-I-you did-I…" She then started crying and hugged Mark.
As he held her, others in the courtyard stopped to see what was going on. Mark glared at them, and they quickly went back to whatever they had been doing. A couple of minutes later, Julie released him. She looked embarrassed as she wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry, Mark. I just- this is far more than I ever could have expected. You've been a godsend, and I don't know how I could repay you." "Julie, you can repay me by just continuing to do what you do. You guys provide a valuable service to Freeside, and while people may not always say thank you, it is appreciated."
"Thank you Mark, I-" She stopped in mid-sentence as an idea came to her. "I actually do know another way I can thank you. Wait right here." Before Mark could say anything, she dashed back up into the tower. A minute or two later, she came back out. "Here, take this," she said, handing him something. Mark looked at it. It was a key. "What is this key to?" Mark asked, examining it. "The Followers have a safehouse at the base of the hills that lead to Mount Charleston. There are beds if you need to rest, some medical supplies, food, and a few weapons. I figured since you're usually out and about, that you could use it."
"Hang on, Julie. Not that I don't find this useful, but what if one of you guys needs it?" She waved him off. "We have a spare, and it doesn't actually get used all that often. We have someone go check on it once or twice a month, and resupply it as needed, but that's about it." She looked back over at the courtyard. "Oh, it looks like I'm needed. Thank you again, Mark." "No problem, Julie. You have a good day."
A short while later, Boone and Mark arrived back at the King's HQ. Upon entering, he took off his helmet, and heard a commotion in the back room. When he entered, he smiled at what he saw. Abby and Amata were onstage, both wearing black jackets, dancing around and singing along with the radio to their friends and a few Kings, including the King himself. Mark caught the last few lines of the song:
"…something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give."
Everyone started clapping as they finished, Mark included. The two of them then took a bow. As the Kings dispersed, Mark walked up to the stage. "DADDY!" Abby shouted as she saw him. She then jumped off the stage and into his arms. He gave her a kiss, and then helped Amata down with his free hand, giving her a kiss as well. "I have two beautiful and talented ladies. How'd I ever get so lucky?" They giggled. "Did you have fun, Abby?" "I sure did! Everyone here is really nice. Oh! And I got to play with the dog. Can we take him home with us?"
"Sweetheart," Amata said as both she and Mark chuckled, "we've already been over this. He's the King's dog. Besides, ED-E might get jealous." They heard ED-E beep indignantly at this. "Tell you what, though. If you're good, we can come back and visit." "And I, for one, would welcome that," the King said, stepping into their line of vision, Rex at his heels. "It's been a long while since I've seen Rex this happy and active, and it's all thanks to that wonderful daughter of yours." Abby giggled and buried her head into Mark's chest.
"I assume that your endeavors were successful?" "Yeah," came Cass' voice from behind them, "how'd it go with McLafferty?" They turned around and saw the others. "I'll explain everything in a minute. Amata and I just need to give a couple of things to Abby." "I'll uh, give you some space. This seems to be a family thing. I'll be out front when you're ready," the King said. Mark nodded, and sat Abby down in one of the chairs, going down to one knee in front of her. "Abby, while your mother and I were out today, we got a couple of things for you." "You did?" Abby asked. "Yes, we did." Mark opened his bag, and took out a small bag of caps. Amata went into her satchel, and took out the necklace. Mark put the bag of caps on the table near Abby. Mark decided to tread carefully, seeing as they were about to bring up her deceased parents again, ironically breaking a rule they had set for the others.
"Abby, the first thing we want to give you is this bag of caps. There are ninety-five caps. Now, these caps, they, um, they were the caps that your birth father never got the chance to pick up." Abby looked at the bag a hint of sadness in her eyes. Amata took over. "Abby, do you remember Julie, the doctor that treated you?" Abby nodded. "Well, as it turns out, your mother gave this necklace to her, and now Julie wants you to have it." Amata slipped the necklace onto Abby. Amata then kneeled down next to Mark.
Abby examined the necklace for a few moments, and the shot off the chair, into Mark's arms, sobbing. Amata joined the two, making it a three-way hug, while the others watched them, tears in their eyes as well. A few minutes later, Abby's sobbing began to abate. "Abby," Mark said, "we're sorry for bringing up your parents again. We just thought that you would like something tangible to remember them by."
She gave the two of them a teary smile. "Thank…thank you." She paused for a moment. "I love you guys." Mark and Amata had tears in their eyes as they engulfed Abby in another hug. This was the first time that she had told either of them that she loved them. "We love you too, Abby. We love you too," Amata said. "Yeah," Mark said, "we love you, and we always will." They stayed that way for another minute before Mark pulled back and looked into Abby's eyes. "Are you okay, Abby?" She nodded. "Good. I promise, we won't bring your parents up again unless you want to talk about them, okay?" "Okay, daddy." Mark gave her a kiss, and then stood up.
Mark handed her over to Veronica. "Hey, kiddo. That is a very pretty necklace. I am super jealous of you right now," Veronica said, attempting to lighten the mood. Everyone laughed, and then Mark spoke. "Okay. Arcade, can you go get the King?" Arcade nodded and went to get him. Once he came back, Mark addressed everyone. "Ok. King, I have some things that I need to tell everyone, yourself included. Would we be able to get some privacy?" The King nodded. "Sure. We can use this room, if that is acceptable." "It is. Thank you, King."
The King cleared the room of the other Kings, and Mark then had Abby stay with ED-E in the front room, citing that they needed to talk about "adult things." She pouted, but she left. Everyone took a seat while Mark leaned back against the stage. "Alright, so, I went to see Alice McLafferty with Colonel Hsu, after a slight detour on my part. I won't bore you with the details of what happened, but basically, McLafferty will be paying for any supplies the Followers need for the next three years, and she will be "donating" half of her monthly salary to them as well."
"Her superiors and the NCR President all agreed to this, and there are safeguards in place to ensure she can't get out of it." "That's great Mark!" Arcade exclaimed. "How did you ever get them to agree to that?" Mark smirked. "Well, when you're the Courier, as well as House's right-hand man, people tend to acquiesce to what you want rather quickly to curry favor." Mark then looked at Cass. "Cass, I know that this isn't exactly the retribution that you wanted, but I think this works out better for everyone in the long run."
"Mark," Cass said, "I already told ya, I trust ya ta do what ya think is right. Ya did what ya promised, so it's all good in ma book." Mark smiled. "Thanks, Cass. I do have a surprise for you, though. As part of the agreement, the Crimson Caravan Company relinquished any claim they had on Cassidy Caravans, so if, or when, you decide to start caravanning again, the name's all yours." With that, Cass got up from her chair and gave Mark a hug. "Thanks, Mark. Yer the best friend a gal could ask fer." "You're welcome, Cass. I value your friendship as well."
Cass then released the hug and sat back down. "Was that all, Mark?" Amata asked. "While I am proud of you for doing that for Cass, and the Followers, I don't see why Abby had to leave the room for that." Mark let out a sigh and then frowned. "No, babe, that's not why Abby had to leave the room. There was an ulterior motive for getting everyone out of the 38, and it has to do with House." "Mark," Amata asked, a worried look on her face, "what does House want you to do, exactly?"
Mark closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "House, he…he wants me to destroy the local chapter of the Brotherhood." Both Christine and Veronica jumped to their feet. "Mark, you can't do that," Christine said, looking furious. "She's right, Mark," Veronica said. "I may not be one of them anymore, but that doesn't mean that I want them all dead. House wants you to commit genocide, and then you'd be no better than Elijah." At that statement, Mark became furious. "DO NOT compare to that asshole! I never said I was planning on doing it anyway! Hell, every time I look at you two it's making me feel guilty just for knowing what he wants me to do!"
Amata got out of her chair and quickly made her way to Mark, hugging him and whispering soothing words into his ear to help calm him down. Eventually, Mark calmed down, and Amata released the hug, instead standing next to him, holding his hand. "Shame on you two," Amata said, frowning at Christine and Veronica. "You should know that Mark would never do something like that! He's not that kind of person. I wouldn't be with him if he was. Furthermore, he has tremendous respect for the Brotherhood, even if this chapter are a bunch of idiots. And Veronica, if you ever compare him to your batshit-crazy ex-Elder again, I will smack you!"
Christine and Veronica both looked chastised as they sat back down. "Sorry, Mark, I just got caught up in the moment," Christine said. "Yeah, Mark, I, um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It just came out." "I accept your apologies," Mark said. He then turned to Amata and gave her a kiss. "Thank you, babe." "You're welcome, Mark. Now, I assume that there's more that you wanted to say?"
"Uh, yeah, so obviously I have no intention of killing them all. So, there are a few ways that I see this playing out. One, I refuse to do it, and House tells me and all of us to leave. Two, I refuse to do it, and he kills me. Three, I refuse, and he kills me and hunts the rest of you down. Seeing as none of those options appeal to me, Abby's well-being being a big part of that, I am left with only one option." He looked at Amata, and then around the rest of the room. "I am going to kill Robert House."
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I always liked doing that unmarked quest, "A Final Plan for Esteban," so I decided to include it. Until next time, and reviews are welcomed and appreciated.