Chapter 123 - Your Wife Getting Boone'd

Afton walked up the stairs and opened the door leading to the mouth of the dinosaur. As he does so the person watching over the town jolts in surprise and quickly turns around. They were wearing jeans with a dirty white t-shirt and a red beret that has a bear skull backed by rifles on it, as well as the phrase "The last thing you never see" written.

The man himself had a cold yet stern look, even though he was apparently surprised by Afton's sudden appearance his expression hadn't even twitched... "Goddamnit! Don't sneak up on me like that."​​

Afton raises a brow at them and keeps an eye on the man's hunting rifle, "What did you want me to do? Knock on the door as if you were taking a shit?"

...

The man just shakes his head after failing to come up with a response, "What do you want?"

Afton holds out his hand, "To thank you for watching my back yesterday, Powder Ganger apparently wanted revenge for what I did to them."

The man looks down at his hand silently, Afton was starting to feel as if he was being treated like a leper, but decided to persevere regardless.

Eventually his awkward persistence won out and both of them shook hands. "Don't... Don't worry about it. Was getting bored sat up here anyway, the added target practise was interesting at least." he states.

"I'm Afton by the way, though most people in the town know that by now." he mutters, he must've met everyone by now while he was treating patients.

"Craig Boone. People just call me Boone though. Is that all?" he asks, apparently wanting to get back to keeping watch.

Afton shrugs, "I guess, just wanted to thank you for your help. If you need anything let me know within a couple weeks, me and my partner will be gone by then." he says, going to step back into the stairway.

...

"Wait." Boone calls out after a moment of contemplation. "I could use your help."

Afton closes the door and gives him in an inquiring look, he hadn't expected the man to actually need something, it was more of a common courtesy...

"You're new around here, haven't become too close with anyone yet... I need someone not from here to investigate something for me."

"Depends on what it is." Afton says, not wishing to agree to anything until he's heard about it first.

"My wife. She was taken by the Legion." he states, causing Afton's face to harden, he'd heard more than enough to know that this story would only end in tragedy. "They came during the night, through a specific route that just so happened to be empty on that day. They knew when I would be on break and chose that moment to come... By the time I knew she was gone, they were already halfway to Cottonwood Cove."

Afton places a hand on bones shoulder, "Me and Karl were already planning to try and take back someone from the Legion, getting you wife as well wouldn't add too much difficulty." he reassures.

Boone shakes his head and knocks Afton's hand off of his shoulder, "That's not possible. I followed them to Cottonwood Cove and assassinated her before she could suffer." he states coldly, the eyes behind his sunglasses looking like chips of ice.

...

Afton hadn't expected that, it was pragmatic if anything, but he didn't think he'd personally be able to do something like that if it called for it. If Veronica or Christine were in the same situation, could he actually do that?... No. He'd find some way to save them or die trying.

"Then, what do you need me for?"

"I want you to find the bastard who sold her. It was clear they had inside information, the Legion is known for their brutality and would jump at the chance to take something from an ex-ranger. Fear, pain, and despair are powerful weapons."

"Wouldn't whoever sold your wife have left by now? Sticking around a town in which you'd committed such a despicable crime wouldn't be a wise decision."

Boone shakes his head, "Whoever did it knew the town well, and the only people who'd entered or left the town at that town were traders. They needed to know my wife personally as well to know her habits, which bring down the number of suspects."

"I want to help, not just for you, but because I want to personally skin whoever did it."

"No. Whoever it is they're mine." he states.

Afton nod with a sigh, "Who do you think did it anyway? It'd help if I knew where to start."

"I'd rather not say, but... I think I was Manny Vargas."

"Him? Didn't take the guy as someone who'd do that." Afton admits, he knew the man briefly as he'd gotten bitten by a snake and needed anti-venom.

Boone shakes his head, "I didn't either, but when I told him that Carla had gone missing he... He looked happy, satisfied. The two never saw eye to eye and bickered whenever they spoke, but I didn't think it was that bad..."

Afton scowls "Wait, you told him that your wife had been taken by the Legion and he looked happy about it? Judging by the matching Barets you and him sport, he knows what they do to slaves right?"

Boone nods, "He knows. And he was happy about it. We used to be best friends, coming from the same unit in 1st Recon. The only reason I haven't killed him yet is because I'm not sure if he did it... He'd know better to show his true feelings if he'd actually sold Carla."

"I'll start looking around them, no need for pay... Consider this a favour for your help last night. Even then, I'd do this job for free anyway."

"For what it's worth, thanks."