"So you can kinda see the future but not really?" Jess asked with a funny expression.
"Something along those lines yes." I said with a shrug.
"So my evil selves, how evil are we talking here?" she asked with a morbid sort of curiosity.
"It's a scale gradient from only a little to the literal devil on earth. For example there's a version of you that makes a point to kill the leaders of each faction in New Vegas to eat them because you believe doing so will give you their power or something." I say seriously.
She grabbed her mouth as the image of that appeared in her mind and literally made her so nauseous she almost threw up.
"Yeah, those timelines aren't fun to watch if you have any moral foundation worth anything." I said pitying her a little.
"What now?" Boone asked deciding to change the subject.
"Well now we are supporting House in making sure the second battle goes in his favor. The first step to that is going to Fortification hill. House has a bunker under it that holds an absolutely massive force of basically fresh off the line securitrons that need the Platinum chip to upgrade to the same specs as these ones." I say motioning to the bots outside the Lucky thirty eight.
"And you expect me to get anywhere near the legion without opening fire?" he asked with a dark expression.
"Of course not. You won't be coming. Much as I'd like nothing more than to slaughter our way in and then back out doing that will result in the NCR being stronger than House would like come the battles end." I said helplessly.
"So I'm being excluded in order to not jeopardize the mission." he said just as darkly.
"Would you prefer to come along and constantly be miserable because you'll be surrounded by legion that you can't kill?" I asked seriously.
"No. What should I be doing in the meantime then? I refuse to sit idle." he asked seriously.
I pause at that as in the game Boone would just sit in the suite House comped in the Lucky thirty eight if dismissed at this point in the story. But this was reality where the companions were actual people. Due to this a whole new possibility existed that I hadn't considered before. We could divide and conquer.-
"Hold that thought for a second. Adam can you tap into the signal House uses to communicate and project into the Securitrons?" I asked the A.I seriously.
"Already done. Patching you through to House now." Adam said calmly.
"You'll forgive me if I seem aggravated but you left my office only minutes ago. What could have possibly happened to require contacting me in such an aggressive manner?" House asked with a clear displeasure.
"Yeah yeah, I get it. But a new variable came up and I wanted your input on it. See one of my companions here won't be going with us to fortification hill. But also doesn't want to sit around idly either. I was considering sending him on a different mission while Jess and I handle the hill. Thoughts?" I said frankly.
"I believe I understand. You were right to bring this to my attention. Normally I wouldn't care about the personal opinions of a single irrelevant party but since you clearly do I will make an exception. What is his specialization, assuming he has any that is?" House asked.
"He was an NCR sniper, first recon. Full training, honorable discharge. Burning hatred of the legion." I say frankly.
"Understood. For someone of his particular skillset there is a small matter that can be entrusted to him. Send him up and I will fill him in on all the details." House said before cutting the signal.
I looked at Boone "You catch that?" I asked and he nodded. "Good. Now that that's covered I believe we aught to be on our separate ways. It'll take Jess and I only an hour or two to reach Cottonwood cove since we'll be able to take my bike. The sooner we get this business done the sooner I can get back to shooting the Legion on sight." I say seriously.
"And Caesar will just let you both walk into his camp?" Boone asked with a slight concern.
"You remember that invitation he sent Jess? She hasn't broken it's implied terms. Unless he wants to tell all of his allies that his word means nothing she'll be allowed through. Me on the otherhand? I will be taking an alternative, unorthodox route to reinforce her should that be needed. It shouldn't but i'm a hedging man and only bet on a sure thing." I said honestly.
"Do I even want to know?" Jess asked and I chuckled.
"The Legion camp is set up on a cliff overlooking the Colorado, I'm just going to go up that cliff face rather than through the gate. If Jess gets into a scrap I can show up from an unexpected direction and make things VERY uncomfortable for Caesar. Speaking of that brain tumor ridden man. You will have to play along with him when you meet him." I warn seriously.
"Oh great, so I have to not only enter a camp that outnumbers me a thousand to one with my only reliance being pride and a madman who may or may not have magic. All while playing nice with a man notorious for how unpleasant he is." Jess said sarcastically.
"First I definitely have magic and you will be learning that soon enough. Second that man is proud as hell. He won't see you harmed so long as you play along. If for whatever reason you somehow get into a scrap while in the camp I'll bust in like the Kool-Aid man and rescue you. Try NOT to get into a scrap though." I said seriously.
"I love this plan. Really just screams "prepared"." she said sarcastically.
We split up after that with Jess and I leaving the Strip and then Freeside from there.