Chapter 187 - Ben.

The group didn't have to wait long after the King had left for another person to arrive and approach them. It was a Ranger, it was an NCR trooper with an assault rifle strapped to their back. "Sir, you are Afton Parker, correct?" they ask.

Afton nods and gets a package shoved into his hands, "This is a standard-issue NCR emergency radio, if you are nearby NCR territory you can call for assistance and help may come. Command has asked me to request that you do not abuse this gift, it was given and can also be taken away at any moment the NCR sees fit."​​

"Can I at least order takeaway with it?" he asks sarcastically.

The soldier just looks at him dully for a moment before turning and walking away.

...

"Huh, guess his sense of humour didn't survive his training..." he mutters to himself as he opens the package to reveal a green brick-like phone, Afton wondered if this world has ever tried to create actual mobile phones, though, the limitations in technology probably prevented that.

He tucks the radio into his Death Claw leather bag and looks at the others, "Alright, who's up for some sightseeing on the strip?"

...

Afton just snorts, "Yeah, me neither. So let's find my friends so we can get started on something else." he says as he leaves the Atomic Wrangler, Karl and Boone silently following him out.

They hop on Dirt-Bird and start driving towards the New Vegas Strips gate, the many Securitrons locking onto them as they approach. Afton stops the bike a good distance away and starts walking towards them, however, just as he gets off of his bike a scream can be heard, followed by a dirty, ragged-looking man making a run through the Securitrons to get into the strip...

"HALT! You are trespass-" The Securitron doesn't even finish its sentence as they open fire on the man who'd just laid a hand on the gate. The many Securitrons all rapidly fire their laser weapons from one arm, and a ballistic machine gun from the other.

The unfortunate soul has their body torn apart by the flying bits of lead, but not before the lasers impact them and instantly vaporize their body...

...

Afton determined that he wouldn't be attempting any funny business around these guys... He had no idea how many of these kinds of robots existed, but if they all possessed weaponry like that then you'd have to be mentally deficient to try and fight them.

After brutally annihilating the intruder, a Securitron rolls towards Afton and holds its arm out, "Present your NCR Citizen licence or proceed with a credit check." it asks in a commanding robotic voice.

Afton, Boone, and Karl all show their licences, the former becoming slightly worried that if his counterfeit licence was detected that he might get similar treatment to that guy from earlier.

"Acceptable. Welcome to the New Vegas Strip." it states before rolling back into its previous position.

Afton nods and glances to the others, "You guys ever been into the strip?"

"Yeah, sometimes I was made to patrol the walls to search for any potential threats.. Other than that I never really spent any time in the... Establishments." Boone says.

Karl just shrugs, "Not really. Always thought the Casino's were worse than any high-way robbers." he states disinterestedly.

"Well, hopefully neither Tamia nor Veronica got themselves mixed up with the casinos... I know of many stories where crime families like the casino's 'vanish' someone who's winning too much or does something they dislike."

The group are about to head inside when yet another voice stops them... Though, thankfully this time it wasn't a screaming man attempting to bypass the security of the game. A tanned man with dirty slicked-back black hair walks towards them while adjusting his dirty-white suit. "Hello there, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

...

Afton glances around and spots the small camp old ben must've been staying. It didn't have any essentials other than a small campfire... Not even a tent, making the man before them likely to be homeless.

"Uh huh, you just so happened to 'overhear' us?" Afton asks in exasperation.

The man smiles at them, revealing his somehow perfectly white teeth... Did he sell all his possessions for a lifetime supply of toothpaste or something? "People know me around here as Old Ben, you can just call me Ben though." he winks at Afton, causing a shiver to race up his spine...

"Do you need something?" Afton asks, wanting to get away from this creepy bastard as soon as possible.

Old Ben shakes his head, "No, but it seems that you need something... For the right price, I may have some information about some folk called Tamia and Veronica..."

Afton glares daggers at the man, was he really being blackmailed like this? Sure the guy probably really needed the money, but what was to stop Afton from simply beating the information out of him. "And what would the right price be?"

Old Ben crosses his arms and looks thoughtful for a moment, "500 ca-" just as he's saying this Afton slowly reaches for his revolver, causing the man to shut his mouth.

"You want to charge me 500 caps for information about my friends that may or may not be useful? Let me ask you a question 'Old Ben'... Do you want to die today?" Afton glowers at him.

Old Ben pales slightly as his bright smile becomes muted for a moment, "I-er, just a slip of the tongue! Why, I know the value of close friends better then anyone, trying to extort money from someone like that would be completely against my nature! Ha-ha-ha-ha..." he plays it off while giving some obviously fake laughter. "So... How about 100 caps?" he asks, after working up his courage again... Really, he must be desperate if he was willing to try again.

Afton glances at Boone and Karl who don't seem to have an opinion on the matter. Either way, they'd likely be heading into the strip and probably get into trouble anyway.