"If it looks like that might happen I'll fight. You'll be able to hear the gunfire and come charging over then." she said insistent.
"Fine fine, if you want to risk it then by all means go ahead." I said not wanting to argue pointlessly.
She dismounted the bike and drew her varmint rifle from the holster on her back as she jogged up the road towards the town. A guy in the blue correctional institute that all Powder gangers came equipped with ran out with a look of pure ecstasy on his face as he waved a scrap of paper in his hand.
He had short rough brown hair and glasses on. Jess looked at him like he was insane at first but clearly learned something from him as her expression hardened. The guy ran straight out into the Ivanpaw dry lake and I watched as no less than seven Radscorpions popped out of the ground and ripped his body apart and ate him like he was made of especially tasty cake.-
"Ooph, brutal way to go. They didn't even wait for him to die before they started tearing him apart." I said with a whistle at the gorey demise.
"He brought it upon himself by running out there." Adam said casually.
"That he did. Still a really bad way to go out." I said nodding in agreement.
"Do you believe Jess might be in trouble in the town?" Adam asked after we sat in silence for about five minutes.
"Not particularly no. If things really turned sour we'd at least hear gunfire. She's a tough chick. Won't rollover without a hell of a fight." I said confidently.
"You are being mysterious again. You know something you aren't saying." Adam pointed out.
"Oh I know a LOT of things I don't say. In this case I'm keeping it to myself since it'll ruin the show otherwise. Just trust me, you don't want to miss it." I said with a grin.
Before the A.I could retort Jess's figure came around the corner of the general store and waved us over. I knew what sort of experience she had thanks to the game but even if I didn't play the game it would be obvious from her expression and body language. She was fully tensed up and her face was screwed up in a deep angry scowl.-
"So? Don't keep us in the dark, what happened?" I asked casually.
"It was the legion. They made an example of Nipton. The one in charge, guy with a dogs head on, said he'd not have me harmed to spread the word." she said with grit teeth.
"Dog head? Sounds like one of the Frumentari, Caesars spy force. Still as much as I'd hate actually helping those savages we are in fact going to do what they wanted and spread the word." I said seriously.
"Why though!?" she demanded in shock.
"Because this was not a random target. Nipton is merely an hour or two walk away from the NCR checkpoint into and out of the region. The NCR will need to know or they might be caught with their pants down. The trick is not telling just any random soldier but the head honcho at the checkpoint, Ranger Jackson. This way he can keep panic from spreading while still preparing." I explained honestly.
"Fuck! So the best option is actually doing what the legion wants?" she said angrily kicking the dirt.
"Why do you think you were let free so easily? It's because no matter what choice you make the legion wins. Tell no one and the NCR is unprepared, tell the NCR and it will stoke fear even if only a little. You were let go because the fuckers knew they couldn't lose." I said leaving her filled with bitter understanding.
Technically there was ONE way that the legion would lose in this situation but I wasn't going to tell her that as the moment was lost. The best chance would have been to gun the fuckers down immediately but by now they will have cleared out and finding them again would be next to impossible.-
Before we left however I decided to stop in the Nipton general store that was one of the few buildings still standing in the town. There a single Powder Ganger of African american descent sat. He recognized me immediately if the way his eyes widened was any indication.
"First was those legion fucks and now it's the Powder Gangers grim fucking reaper! What did we ever do to you man!?" he yelled bitter and angry.
"You aren't THAT retarded are you? You lot are RAIDERS, killing you all is putting you out of everyone elses misery." I said with a scoff.
"Fuck you! If you want me dead so bad you can give me fifteen med-x and i'll fucking OD for you!" he said hatefully.
I chuckled "Now why would I waste med-x when there is a cheaper and faster option?" I said before drawing my pistol and putting a round between his eyes.
"Was that necessary? He couldn't hurt anyone anymore with his legs like that right?" Jess asked uncomfortable at the execution.
"That was mercy. You think he was going to live in that condition? The legion pulped his bones Jess. That sort of damage might not be immediately fatal but given enough time and I guarantee you he would die from complications. He wasn't allowed to live, he was given a prolonged death sentence. Killing him like this was an act of mercy, quick, painless. Speaking of we should put a round through the others on the crosses too." I said calmly.
Oh yes Nipton looked like a scene from a depiction of hell. The buildings were mostly ruins, the residents killed in various creative and horrifying ways and the unluckiest ones crucified on crosses. Most on the crosses were dead after days of exposure, starvation and dehydration but the few still alive were not going to make it anyways as they were too far gone.-
Much like the last guy killing them was an act of mercy. None were spared in the town save those that had been dragged off to be slaves for the legion. I came across at least three dead children as we walked through the smoking ruins and put the crucified out of their misery. That was the last line for me deciding whether or not I hated the legion. Maybe I wasn't a huge fan of them when playing the game but a lot of the really bad stuff you never saw since the developers couldn't show it to you. Seeing it first hand though? That removed any doubt, I'd kill any legion member I saw from now on because this was little better than what raiders did.