Chapter 408 - Laughter Is Medicine, And Poison.

"S-stop... We'll speak... Just don't hurt us!"

...​​

Afton barely keeps the surprised expression from his face as he hears this. He'd been expecting to have to soften them up first, but he supposed these guys didn't look very strong-willed... As of now, all he'd done was run after them, throw himself into a boulder and tie them up... Not much. Regardless, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Why were you spying on me?" he growls in the most intimidating manner he can manage.

It seems to work, as one of the men squeak in fear like a mouse while the other two can't work their mouths enough to actually speak. He glares at the closest one, finally allowing him to speak.

"W-we were sent by Vulpes Inculta... H-he-" he's cut off as the radio on his waist bursts to life.

"Well, well, well. This doesn't surprise me" the person on the other side of the radio drawls.

Afton raises a brow and recognises the voice, "Vulpes. Couldn't we do this over tea or something? You knew sending these three musketeer mosquito's wouldn't do anything." he states picking up the radio.

"I admit, I hadn't expected you to find them so quickly... But they are still useful in their own right, as you'll find out should you reject my offer." he says coyly

"Offer? I'm already working for you, what else could you want?" Afton asks, thoroughly confused by Vulpes intentions.

The voice chuckles creepily from the radio, "Indeed, but I wish to make sure the job gets done. We have been watching, and you are too lax over your duties. So, after this conversation ends, you will march over to Camp Golf and shoot Chier Hanlon where he stands... Do you understand?"

"Huh?" Afton frowns, "Are you stupid? Assassination takes time, preparations, resources, none of which you seem to be willing to grant me." he states.

"Do not lie to me, boy. I know you drove that new vehicle of your straight past the target. And I am fully aware of your capabilities... Sneaking in and cutting the man's throat in his sleep would not have been difficult for you, but you ignored your duty anyway. So, I give you one last chance, go assassinate Chief Hanlon immediately, or suffer the consequences!"

Afton frown slowly morphs into a look of amusement as he begins chuckling, "Consequences? Hah! What consequences!?" he asks, not thinking himself arrogant for feeling overwhelmingly powerful in his current position.

"Mmm, it's good you asked... I have located the bunker your 'friends' are located, and have an army of Great Khans and the Legion's best assassins waiting on standby for my order. Should you refuse, they will blow the doors off of the bunker and kill each and every man, woman, and child they see. It will be a genocide the likes of which the Mojave has ever seen, perhaps aside from Bitter Springs.

Afton pauses at this, glancing over at the tied up spies as thoughts race through his mind. He knew of the Great Khans, and was very, very aware that they were more or less slightly better-armed raiders with a penchant for chem abuse.

That aside, he didn't know much about the Legion's assassins. But, he knew for sure they weren't a match for NCR Rangers. He'd spied on the Legion enough to know that Rangers were the bane of their existence, plus, he doubted they'd have better close-range weaponry than Submachine Guns, Machetes, and perhaps a Shotgun... So, it isn't surprising what his reaction is.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he roars in laughter straight down the radio, the sound of which causes the three shitty musketeers to rear back in fright.

"Hahahaha! Ha..."

"Now YOU-" Vulpes angrily states but is cut off again.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Afton continues, the thought of raiders and Legionaries wearing leather and sportswear charging at heavily armed men in suits of Power armour fueling his laughter... It was just too funny that they thought they were a match in the slightest to the Brotherhood of Steel!

Sure, in a typical battlefield they'd outnumber the Brotherhood one hundred to one, but their tech simply couldn't be compared. So, forcing limited troops down tight corridors where you couldn't fully utilise your advantage in numbers was tantamount to suicide... And that's not even mentioning the high-tech turret system that was installed in the bunker.

Vulpes didn't know any of that though, and probably just considered the bunker the last remnants of the Brotherhood. Most likely guessing that they were ill-equipped compared to the rest of the faction due to Afton's own lack of Power armour.

"Hahahaha-ha-ha... Alright, alright... I think I'm done..." he mutters breathlessly to the radio.

...

"Now, you-"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he begins again, this time on purpose simply to mock the pompous Legionary who thought he could control Afton.

"THAT DOES IT! YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF! DIE KNOWING YOU HAVE WROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF!" Vulpes exclaims down the radio, and Afton's danger sense flairs.

He moves his head to the side, allowing a .50 caliber bullet to zip by and brush his hair.

...

Afton looks over in the direction where it'd come from, his incredibly sharp eyes spotting a black figure on a hill miles away getting up and rapidly retreating. "A sniper? Really Vulpes? I didn't expect something like that from you." he says mockingly to the radio.

...

He doesn't receive a reply from the radio but is fully aware that Vulpes is still listening in. "Alright, be silent... Oh, before I forget, let that sniper know that I chose to let him leave. Let him know I knew where he was the entire time."

... *Bzztch!*

The sound of the radio losing connection sounds out and Afton drops it before smashing it underfoot. Afterwards, he looks to the three tied up spies and scratches his face, wondering what to do with them.

"So, how would you three like to become my underlings?"