Chapter 534 - Scouting The Competition...

Christine sits back in the swivel chair, monotonously spinning it and herself around while waiting for the Gala Event to begin. Afton and Veronica's Ghoul 'friend', Anja was sleeping nearby on a pile of scrap soft enough to be used as a bed.

She releases a long sigh as her muscles still occasionally twitch from her long time torture inside the Auto-Doc, she could still feel phantom pains from her scars, but ignored it all through sheer willpower alone. Despite her family coming all this way into what could potentially be hell itself, the thing pushing her forward at the moment was Elijah, and her wish for vengeance against him.​​

*Bzztch!*

She raises a brow at the sound, "Speak of the Devil." she mentally spits as Elijah's raspy voice begins speaking through her collar.

"Enjoying yourself, Christine?" he asks with a great deal of mirth.

Silently growling, she taps her collar once after remembering Afton's makeshift method of communication.

"Oh, still can't speak? That's a shame... Still, it means you make a great listener. Plus, it allows you to silently contemplate things, with this new skill, you've noticed it haven't you?" he asks ambiguously.

Again, Christine just taps once on her collar, not knowing what Elijah was referring to.

"Ahh, being willfully ignorant it is then? Tell me, are you still loyal to the Brotherhood? Even after they sent you on a suicide mission and abandoned you when you didn't return?" he asks, his grin somehow audible in his words.

She quickly taps twice, answering that she is indeed still loyal. The Brotherhood probably just wasn't able to track her, Big Mt fried all their methods of tracking, and the Sierra Madre was essentially impenetrable.

Elijah chuckles, "You are? Oh, do I have big news for you then my dear... You're friend Afton, your family Veronica, both are no longer part of the Brotherhood. They told me themselves, they have formed their own group that goes against everything the codex states... Why else would they lug around two mutants with them?"

Christine's eyes widen at this, her eyes trailing to the sleeping Anja, she taps no on her collar though, not willing to believe this... Or, if it true, put much faith in Elijah's words... This was just like him, trying to manipulate her, why else would he try this while the other's weren't here to defend themselves?... Yeah, he's just trying to set them against each other.

"It's funny how you refuse to believe what's before you. I've even received news from the Mojave Chapter of the Brotherhood... Did you know Afton is assisting the NCR in capturing them?"

...

Christine shakes her head, covering her ears, not wishing to hear anymore without speaking to Afton and Veronica about this topic directly... Surely if it was true they'd have a reason, right?

"If you are unsure about my words, why not ask that mutant with you? The two seems close with it, enough to reveal their secrets I'd say." he trails off.

Christine looks over to Anja and slowly gets to her feet, determined to see if what Elijah says holds any truth at all. She walks over and slowly shakes Anja awake, nudging the ghoul with her foot.

Anja slowly awakens due to being disturbed. She jumps slightly at not seeing anything, but quickly recomposes herself with memories of the recent events. "Ah... H-hello? Christine?" Anja asks, her throat still raw from Cloud exposure.

...

"Oh, right... You can't speak..." Anja sheepishly admits.

"Don't worry about that, mutant, Christine here just wants some information about Afton and Veronica." Elijah asks through the collar for Christine. She taps her collar twice to indicate she agrees with the old man.

Anja pauses for a moment at the fact Elijah and Christine were seemingly cooperating, if it was possible her skin would be pale and clammy at the situation... "W-what do you want to know?"

Elijah grins behind the terminal as he speaks, knowing that this could potentially be a turning point for his plans. "What is Afton's current rank in the Brotherhood of Steel?"

...

Anja sheepishly rubs her hands together, "Er... None... He was exiled for stopping my execution..."

Christine crooks at brow at this, that wasn't actually out of character for Afton... He took the Codex more as guidelines than anything concrete, kinda how she and Veronica treated certain passages. Still, hearing that Afton had indeed left the Brotherhood was difficult... That also meant that Veronica was essentially in the same situation if she was travelling around with him.

Elijah continues to question her, "And, did Afton make an agreement with the NCR?"

Anja thinks for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, "I... I think negotiations fell through, but yes... He did want the NCR to capture Brotherhood members... Instead of killing them which is what would probably happen if left alone." she states, not wanting to throw Afton under the bus over a misunderstanding.

Christine stands there silently upon hearing that, trying to process how she feels about it... Elijah doesn't have such conniptions, however.

"And Veronica? Is she still a part of the Brotherhood?" he continues.

Anja chews her lip, "I-I don't know... I don't think so? Our organization isn't exactly friendly with them..." she sheepishly admits.

Elijah silently laughs to himself, "Oh? What is your organization exactly?"

...

Anja shakes her head, "If you want to know, ask Afton. You can still speak with Dean can't you? I am nothing but a scout." she states, unwilling to say anything else due to the potential for her to accidentally reveal something secret.

"Hmph, see Christine? They are not the people you were familiar with. Just strangers with ulterior motives... I wonder why they even came for you? Perhaps they need some leverage against the Brotherhood?"

Anja scowls, "Afton and Veronica aren't like that! They came to save you because you're their family! Everyone in Bulwark knows this! Don't let that old traitor tell you lies." she growls.