Chapter 161 - Slaving Away

Boone was the first to step back, the man hadn't been with him and Karl for as long, meaning he didn't have as many caps to throw around for equipment. After a couple moments he hefted another Anti-Material rifle onto his shoulder and stepped towards Afton.

"Figured I'd need this, can't imagine your plans'll be pretty... Best to bring the biggest guns I can carry." he states.​​

Afton nods, "Yeah, your hunting rifle probably isn't going to do much against Deathclaws." he says semi-sarcastically.

Boone would probably find it difficult to lug both his rifles around... He wasn't a freak of nature like Afton who had more than enough strength to spare. The man wouldn't be able to use it without propping it on something first due to its sheer amount of weight.

Karl spends more than anyone else looking at what to purchase, eventually coming away from the Vendertron with some green-camouflaged combat armour, as well as a Light Machine Gun.

Combat armour is essentially the most effective attempt at combining defence and mobility. It's mainly used by rich factions who can't afford or find Power Armour. Karl had gotten the cheapest and lightest one available, the more expensive reinforced ones would limit his movement far too much for his liking. Plus, he wouldn't be able to afford a good weapon if he went that route.

The Light Machine Gun itself was a heavy but powerful weapon, it was the miniguns little brother in that it functioned the same but without crippling the user's movement.

Karl puts the combat armour on over his dirty white t-shirt and jeans, afterwards hefting the Light Machine Gun over his shoulder. "Heh, I pity the fool who tries to mess with us now." he jokes while popping his stetson cowboy hat back on.

Afton just raises a brow at him, "You got any more caps after buying all that?"

Karl smirks and reaches into his pocket, rifling around for a moment before pulling out around 100 caps.

...

Afton sighs, he'd be annoyed if they didn't already have a job ready for them. He and Boone would be forced to chip in for Karls meals if he was truly skint. "Alright, let's get back to Captain Parker and see what we can do for him. Maybe we'll be able to put our new guns to use while we're at it."

With the group now kitted out with new weaponry, they start up Dirt-Bird and leave a trail of dust as they backtrack to Captain Parkers location. Isaac who'd been working a the loading bench while this happened coughed and spluttered while inwardly cursing them for it, the man not liking the prank one bit.

It didn't take long for the group to get back to where they'd initially met the Captain. Now though they were able to see where he was actually in charge of. It was called the Aerotech Office Park, neither Boone nor Karl had any idea what it was supposed to be, only that it hadn't existed a couple years prior.

It was a large walled off settlement with one tiny door that led inside, there weren't any guards around either which meant that this either wasn't a military outpost, or wasn't properly funded. Regardless, Afton left the bike outside the door as the group entered inside... He was sure there wouldn't be anyone stupid enough to try and steal it... But if there was? It wasn't his problem.

Inside the group were greeted by a large fountain that was no longer pumping water in the middle of the area. It was surrounded entirely by what looked like residential buildings, but judging by the state of the nearby people, it was more likely to be a refugee camp... That'd also explain the lack of guards, as well as the fact not many people seemed to be bothered by the missing people.

Sitting next to the fountain was Captain Parker, the man had his head in his hands and a bottle of whisky placed on the floor in front of him. Clearly, he was still infuriated by his inability to protect the residents of this place.

"Captain Parker?" Afton greets, the new weapon making him quite the intimidating sight, and that's not even mentioning the two other heavily armed men beside him.

The Captain looks up as he hears Afton's voice, his cheeks were slightly red indicating that he was probably inebriated. "Hmm? Oh, the other Parker huh?"

Afton just nods and continues as if the man wasn't drunk, "We're here to find those missing people... The job is still open, right?"

Parker just waves his hand, "Yeah, yeah, like anyone gives a shit about some refugee's going missing. I'll pay you what I can if you manage to find them, don't count on it being much though, the refugees have fuck all and its the same with me... NCR's too busy with the Legion to fund this place."

"Any leads on where to start? It'd speed up the process if we weren't forced to go walking around New Vegas like headless chickens."

Parker slowly nods, "Yeah... I asked around a bit earlier and everything seemed to have one thing in common, they were dealing with Saint James and his partner Dermot. I'd go down there and ask 'em myself, but this is my station and I'll be damned if I let any more people go missing."

Afton nods, "Where can we find those two?"

"Last I heard they were up in Westside... A tip before you go, don't go guns blazing otherwise you might wind up killing innocent men, either find evidence and bring it to me, or get them to admit it." he warns, somehow becoming serious through his drunken state.

Karl nods at the man, "Don't worry, we ain't murderers, just killers. We'll find the men responsible for this and get back the missing families if we're able."

The group bid one last goodbye to the man as they leave the Aerotech Office Park.