Chapter 411 - Hardin The Head

By the time Afton and his group arrived the battle was almost over. He drove past the other desolate bunkers and eventually spotted the one the Brotherhood resided in, the metal door had been blown inwards by some kind of explosive, and the sound of faint gunfire could be heard coming from it.

He continued to drive towards it, and the sounds kept getting louder, until many men in black and red outfits escaped the bunker and started sprinting away from it. There were around ten of them, and Afton could see Guass projectiles and Laser fire shooting at them through the door.​​

Afterwards, a large group of people in Power armour stomp out of the bunker and continue shooting at them... However, they all stop and turn to look at Afton as he was accelerating Dirt-Hog towards the escaping Legionaries.

Josie was already firing at them, bullets tearing about three and crippling more with shots to their legs. This allowed Afton to easily approach, the Legionaries paling as the heavy vehicle rapidly approaching them.

They have enough time to raise their arms as if to push Dirt-Hog away as the tank-like vehicle drives straight over them, the wheels crushing, bisecting, and flattening anything caught underneath it.

The cut-off screams of agony catch the attention of the other fleeing Legionaries, and they all scatter to attempt to avoid similar fates... Unfortunately, Afton is more than proficient enough at driving and Carmageddon to hit them.

He erratically swerves as he crushes the Legionaries into the wasteland sand, leaving behind flattened bloody corpses as he drives over and through them. The Legionaries attempt to fire back in retaliation, but the bullets simply bounce off of the Saturnite plating, not even leaving a scratch as Afton and Josie kill them.

The Brotherhood of Steel members watched this with morbid fascination. They didn't know who was doing this, but they weren't going to reject the help... Though, they might have to claim the vehicle due to how dangerous the technology was, just the sight before them was enough to convince most that it would be better in their control.

By the time Afton caught up to the last Legionary, they had climbed on top of one of the bunker mounds, a place his vehicle isn't really built to go up... The man seems to be trying to negotiate with them, but Josie just obliterates him with machine-gun fire, riddling their body with bullets.

Once all was said and done, all the assassins were dead, and Dirt-Hog was parked not too far away from the Brotherhood bunker as the Paladins and Knights slowly approached, their weapons raised and ready.

"Citizen, come out with your hands up, or will we be forced to shoot!" Paladin Hardin commands.

...

Afton sighs at his family's strict adherence to the rules, even threatening those that'd come to assist them. Yeah, some rule changes definitely had to be implemented, otherwise they wouldn't last long in HIS Mojave.

*Click!*

Afton opens the door and hops out, grinning at those present as they all jolt as they recognise him. "Yo, Hardin, long time no see!"

...

Hardin takes off his helmet which reveals his livid expression and almost snarls at him, "Traitor!" (AN : Then beats Fins ass with a taser lol)

Afton raises a brow at the fact they were still pointing their weapons at him, "What the fuck guys? I came back to help kill those douche bags, put the guns down." he says, glancing over cautiously at the K9000 that was pointing in the Paladin's direction... Fortunately, Josie seems to have stopped it firing at them from inside the vehicle.

"Your unasked assistance today does not absolve you of your crimes. A Knight does not simply leave the Brotherhood, you abandoned your post, your family, and went galavanting around the Wasteland for no reason at all. Not only that, but you stole valuable technology that would assist the rest of the Chapter... The only reason I do not kill you now, is that you left behind your Power armour, and for some reason, Elder McNamara says he sent you on a mission." the Paladin states.

"McNamara said that?" Afton mutters, feeling thoroughly confused.

"He did. Now, you will come with us to await your trial... Or, you can resist and I'll put you down right here, right now." he says with a vicious grin.

Afton just shakes his head, "I'll go with you, just don't touch my-"

*Bang*

Veronica kicks the back doors open and stomps out of Dirt-Hog, marching up to Hardin and pointing a finger at his armoured chest, "Hardin! Are you really going to threaten Afton like that!"

...

He releases a long sigh, "Veronica. You wish to tell us why you are with a traitor? Perhaps we need to put you on trial too?"

The rest of the group get out of the truck and watch all this passively, Josie glancing to Karl and whispering, "These guys look so stuck up... How could Afton and Veronica bear to be around them for so long..."

Karl just shrugs, "People do the best, and the worst things for family."

Hardin eyes the group, "You will all be taken into custody as well, we can't have random citizens know the location of our bunker, you will be vetted and set free should we find you have no affiliation with any of those that wish to harm our interests... Take that, Thing, as well." he states gesturing at Anja. A few of the group get a cold sweat upon hearing his warning... Would being formerly in the NCR army count against them?

Regardless, Afton just gives them all a small thumbs up and steps forwards, "Alright, let's get this over with then. But once I'm found to have committed no crime, I want a personal apology from you, Hardin... Maybe I'll have you kiss my feet as well." he jokes, but Hardin doesn't seem to take it that way.

The Paladin has the others take away all of his weaponry before briskly grabbing his arm and attempting to force him into the bunker... Only to find that Afton is incredibly heavy? That or gravity is working triple on him.

Afton smirks at Hardin's exertion and just shrugs at him, beginning to walk into the bunker, all the while smirking at Hardin's indignant growl.