Chapter 102 - Delivering The Courier

The doors to the barracks open revealing the handle bar-moustached Ranger Jackson. His eyes examine the room before eventually landing on Afton and Karl. He walks over and pulls out a bag of caps before depositing it on the table.

"This is your pay for clearing the roads, thank you for your work." he states.​​

Karl nods and pushes the bag in-front of Afton, "Don't mention it... What're you gonna do about the Legion?"

Jackson sighs, "Can't really do anything if I'm honest, if the Legion are able to sneak around the lookouts we've set up along the Colorado there's nothing I can do to deal with it. The higherups have been informed but I doubt anything'll happen..."

Karl nods, "Damn bureaucrats."

"Hey Jackson, what's the word on caravans leaving?" Cass asks from the side.

"I'm sorry to say, no can do Cass. As bad as it is having supplies get stuck here, it'd be worse if the Legion started destroying caravans... I hate it as much as you do, but there's nothin' I can do."

Cass can only grumble in response, she knew it wasn't his fault she was in this situation... If anything it was the Legion's fault she was stuck here. Though, her opinion of them couldn't really get any lower, enslaving women and children had already caused them to reach rock-bottom in her eyes.

Jackson leaves after a minute more of small-talking with Karl, the reminiscing about the old days and such.

Another smaller bag of caps is slid across the table and chinks against the one Jackson had left. Afton looks over and see's Cass looking sheepish.

"Almost forgot to pay you guys, might not be able to leave but you did clear the roads so..."

Afton smirks at her, "You sure? I can't imagine you've got all that much left with how you're drinking."

"Mind your own business."

"Where the roads really that bad? I saw a few ants in the underpass on the way here but it didn't seem all that dangerous..." Tamia says.

Afton just gives her an appraising look, "I don't know where you're from, but a colony of a couple hundred Giant Ants isn't something be brushed off."

"I don't know, my mom used to make light of things like that. Thought it was just the tribals who had that attitude though." Cass adds before her eyes light up, "You guys are mercs right? I doubt you'll be sticking around here much longer so why not help Tamia get to where she needs to go?"

...

"I mean... We don't really have a destination but..." Afton glances to Karl.

"I think we should head to Camp Searchlight, Jackson says the NCR's struggling to deal with the situation there... Probably some caps to be made." Karl adds.

Afton looks at his Pipboy map and traces the general area, "You want to go to Nipton then Novac right? We can take you to the former, but since you're in a rush I think we should split afterwards."

"If its too much trouble then I can go without you, I can handle myself fine." she states.

"I bet you can, but its easier and safer to travel with people."

She relents and eventually nods, "Fine, when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning." both Afton and Karl say simultaneously, causing the latter to chuckle.

The group proceeds to spend the rest of the day talking about the routes they could possibly take the next day. Fortunately, one of the NCR troopers told them of a path that led to Ranger Station Charlie, and completely bypassed Camp Searchlight.

They determined that they'd split with Tamia once they reached it, Afton wasn't all that invested in helping her find the guy who'd shot her, even if the Pipboy had given him a quest for it.

[Checkered Mate : Assist the courier and find the man who shot her.]

Right now he was more focussed on his own objectives, finding the cunt who killed his mother, and helping Karl retrieve his daughter. To accomplish either he'd likely need a lot of resources, so gathering strength and caps was a good start.

Afton woke up the next day and made his way to the bar to get some water to wash his mouth. Cass was already up, and already drinking... She nods at him, "You leaving then?"

He swirls the water before swallowing it, "Yeah, just gotta pick up some ammo and we'll head out."

She sighs, "I'd ditch this place and offer to come with if I wasn't stuck here. Whatever you're doing out there must be more interesting than this."

Afton shrugs, "I doubt anyone would want to get involved with us, our plans might have the Legion breathing down our necks..."

Cass shakes her head, "I don't know, sounds like my kind of fun..." she sighs again, "If you get near to New Vegas and still need work head to the Crimson Caravan. Biggest traders and'll likely have something for you."

Afton nods, "Sure, thanks." he says, standing and leaving.

"See you around." she calls as he exits, slumping back onto her stool and ordering a glass of whisky once he was gone.

Afton headed around to the various traders stuck in the Outpost and stocked up on ammunition. He purchased a lot of .357 rounds aswell as .44 for Karl. The old man was currently having a cigarette on the roof and chatting up Ghost so he was left to do the shopping.

Tamia was following him and watching with interest to see what supplies he'd be buying. She had caps of her own and would occasionally pick something up, he was surprised to see how good at bartering she actually was. Perhaps she hadn't completely forgotten her time as a courier?

He still had a couple mines left in his Deathclaw leather satchel, his laser pistol, plasma pistol, sawed-off shotgun, and two .357 revolvers. He bought ammo for each weapon aswell as some scrap he could use to repair them. He had thought of trying to modify them to his specifications but decided it would be best to leave that until he had a higher Repair skill.

As his Gun skill was so high, he knew what he could add and what could potentially be useful, but in the end it was his Repair skill that decided how it would turn out. His inexperience with ballistic weapon repair was truly showing...