It was another day for Anthony Ericson as he stood guard at the water pump in Freeside, negotiating fare for those who came to get water, and upcharging anyone with the NCR who wanted to grab a bit of water. ‘They have plenty at their base they ain’t sharin’.’ Such was the logic and belief of many of those in the Kings, including Anthony…though it did make him wonder why they’d go through the hassle of coming all the way to the pump to get water.
“It’s 50 caps for a bottle, you don’t want it, beat it,” Anthony told the NCR grunt, arms folded over his chest, trying to look intimidating. It wasn’t too hard with his broad shoulders and leather jacket, not to mention his height.
The NCR grunt looked pissed, “Are you trying to fucking kill us all with those prices?” she snapped. “This is bullshit!”
“I saw him get one for just 20 caps!” the other NCR grunt with the woman pointed towards a Freesider leaving the area with their bottle of water.
Anthony lifted one shoulder in a shrug, “You don’t know his story, but I know yours, so cough up,” he tilted his chin up a bit with the words, and the woman huffed and turned to leave. Her companion wasn’t so willing, and drew a 9mm, aimed, and fired.
The aiming job was done too quickly, and Anthony saw what she was doing, so he was quick to move. It still burnt through his jacket, as well as his left shoulder. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone – and the NCR woman who started all of this was immediately horrified at the act, grabbing her companion’s arm and pulling it down, hard. “What are you doing?!” she all but shrieked as more guns were drawn from nearby Kings and aimed at them.
Tapper quickly rushed up to Anthony’s side, “Shit, Puppy Dog, you okay?” his hand fell on Anthony’s shoulder and he winced, which caused Tapper to lift his hand quickly, coming away bloody, “Ah shit, what the fuck do you think you’re doing!” Tapper shouted at them. “Get out of here! There ain’t gonna be any water for you two, ever! Maybe none for the whole damn NCR when The King hears about this!”
Fury and fear crossed their expressions, but they hurried off as the Kings didn’t open fire on them but let them go, seeing as Anthony was likely to live, “C’mon, let’s get you over to the Old Fort. Ace, take over, no NCR gets anything, ya dig?”
“Yeah,” Ace stepped up as Tapper took the lead, and Anthony followed. He was well aware of the direction of the Old Fort, but he wasn’t all that interested in leading, or thinking too much about it.
“We gotta do something about them,” Tapper muttered, and Anthony could only hum his agreement as they reached the Fort, and were let in without issue. “Hey, hey!” Tapper raised his voice to get attention, “My boy needs some help here, NCR shot him while we were protecting the water!”
Of course, the Followers benefited from the water – the Kings didn’t charge them. Their work was essential, a sort of mutual agreement existed between the groups. The Kings would help them secure what they could, and offer protection, and the Followers would help the people of Freeside…even the damned NCR squatters. Win-win.
It didn’t stop Anthony from feeling a touch embarrassed over the fuss that Tapper was making. He was just grazed.
~***~
‘Benny.’
The Strip was alight always, but from Boulder City at night, it was impossible to miss. Victoria Gaines stared out at it as she considered how nice it would be to take up smoking, just to have a use for the lighter burning a hole in her pocket. That, along with the lottery ticket from Nipton, were her two new collectables, symbols of strange luck, that made her melancholy that evening after allowing the NCR to eliminate the Great Khans that told her what she needed to know.
She could have negotiated peace.
That was the whole idea when she came back with the hostages, but when Lieutenant Monroe noted he had orders to kill the Khans, hostages or no, well…they had been the ones who helped Benny shoot her in the head, so she turned a blind eye to it.
Karma might be a bitch, but she intended to be a far worse one.
‘I need about 1200 more caps to get into the Strip.’ She could make it there, but she wouldn’t get in. That was a problem easily solved, as evidenced by the sound of music and laughter from the Old Dam hotel, which doubled as a saloon and casino. The NCR who felt guilt over what they had to do, the rescued hostages, were all there, willing to lose their money. So were plenty of traders who went through.
And the woman once known as the Nightingale decided to join, heading inside and purchasing a room for 100 caps she didn’t want to spend, before changing out of her leather armor and joining the noise in a little red dress, tamed blonde hair, and a pretty smile, “Is this seat taken?” not that she acted like the answer ‘yes’ would change her mind as she slid into an empty seat at a blackjack table, “What’s the minimum to join?”
“25 caps.” The bored dealer answered, not at all bothered by her appearance or arrival.
“Oh, well…all right,” hesitance was an act.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pay your entry,” one flashed her a smile, “your help getting me out of there is enough for that – and I can just win it back.” He joked, before passing her the chips she needed.
“Aww, well thank you! Hopefully I’ll earn a little more for you to win back than just that!”
And, of course, Victoria did.
It was easy to keep them playing and egg them on to hit on dangerous moments. Easy to feign she was more drunk than she was, to smile and laugh and encourage them, and pout when they left – because of course she enjoyed their company!
She did pay back that one who gave her the 25, though.
With a little extra.
Luck had clearly chosen to favor her that night. She’d almost think it favored her every night since Benny shot her…and that was something she tried not to think about it, because she didn’t like to think luck picked her to do something, as some people suggested.
She was just a courier…one who’d been given devastating packages, twice now.
“It’s 50 caps for a bottle, you don’t want it, beat it,” Anthony told the NCR grunt, arms folded over his chest, trying to look intimidating. It wasn’t too hard with his broad shoulders and leather jacket, not to mention his height.
The NCR grunt looked pissed, “Are you trying to fucking kill us all with those prices?” she snapped. “This is bullshit!”
“I saw him get one for just 20 caps!” the other NCR grunt with the woman pointed towards a Freesider leaving the area with their bottle of water.
Anthony lifted one shoulder in a shrug, “You don’t know his story, but I know yours, so cough up,” he tilted his chin up a bit with the words, and the woman huffed and turned to leave. Her companion wasn’t so willing, and drew a 9mm, aimed, and fired.
The aiming job was done too quickly, and Anthony saw what she was doing, so he was quick to move. It still burnt through his jacket, as well as his left shoulder. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone – and the NCR woman who started all of this was immediately horrified at the act, grabbing her companion’s arm and pulling it down, hard. “What are you doing?!” she all but shrieked as more guns were drawn from nearby Kings and aimed at them.
Tapper quickly rushed up to Anthony’s side, “Shit, Puppy Dog, you okay?” his hand fell on Anthony’s shoulder and he winced, which caused Tapper to lift his hand quickly, coming away bloody, “Ah shit, what the fuck do you think you’re doing!” Tapper shouted at them. “Get out of here! There ain’t gonna be any water for you two, ever! Maybe none for the whole damn NCR when The King hears about this!”
Fury and fear crossed their expressions, but they hurried off as the Kings didn’t open fire on them but let them go, seeing as Anthony was likely to live, “C’mon, let’s get you over to the Old Fort. Ace, take over, no NCR gets anything, ya dig?”
“Yeah,” Ace stepped up as Tapper took the lead, and Anthony followed. He was well aware of the direction of the Old Fort, but he wasn’t all that interested in leading, or thinking too much about it.
“We gotta do something about them,” Tapper muttered, and Anthony could only hum his agreement as they reached the Fort, and were let in without issue. “Hey, hey!” Tapper raised his voice to get attention, “My boy needs some help here, NCR shot him while we were protecting the water!”
Of course, the Followers benefited from the water – the Kings didn’t charge them. Their work was essential, a sort of mutual agreement existed between the groups. The Kings would help them secure what they could, and offer protection, and the Followers would help the people of Freeside…even the damned NCR squatters. Win-win.
It didn’t stop Anthony from feeling a touch embarrassed over the fuss that Tapper was making. He was just grazed.
~***~
‘Benny.’
The Strip was alight always, but from Boulder City at night, it was impossible to miss. Victoria Gaines stared out at it as she considered how nice it would be to take up smoking, just to have a use for the lighter burning a hole in her pocket. That, along with the lottery ticket from Nipton, were her two new collectables, symbols of strange luck, that made her melancholy that evening after allowing the NCR to eliminate the Great Khans that told her what she needed to know.
She could have negotiated peace.
That was the whole idea when she came back with the hostages, but when Lieutenant Monroe noted he had orders to kill the Khans, hostages or no, well…they had been the ones who helped Benny shoot her in the head, so she turned a blind eye to it.
Karma might be a bitch, but she intended to be a far worse one.
‘I need about 1200 more caps to get into the Strip.’ She could make it there, but she wouldn’t get in. That was a problem easily solved, as evidenced by the sound of music and laughter from the Old Dam hotel, which doubled as a saloon and casino. The NCR who felt guilt over what they had to do, the rescued hostages, were all there, willing to lose their money. So were plenty of traders who went through.
And the woman once known as the Nightingale decided to join, heading inside and purchasing a room for 100 caps she didn’t want to spend, before changing out of her leather armor and joining the noise in a little red dress, tamed blonde hair, and a pretty smile, “Is this seat taken?” not that she acted like the answer ‘yes’ would change her mind as she slid into an empty seat at a blackjack table, “What’s the minimum to join?”
“25 caps.” The bored dealer answered, not at all bothered by her appearance or arrival.
“Oh, well…all right,” hesitance was an act.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pay your entry,” one flashed her a smile, “your help getting me out of there is enough for that – and I can just win it back.” He joked, before passing her the chips she needed.
“Aww, well thank you! Hopefully I’ll earn a little more for you to win back than just that!”
And, of course, Victoria did.
It was easy to keep them playing and egg them on to hit on dangerous moments. Easy to feign she was more drunk than she was, to smile and laugh and encourage them, and pout when they left – because of course she enjoyed their company!
She did pay back that one who gave her the 25, though.
With a little extra.
Luck had clearly chosen to favor her that night. She’d almost think it favored her every night since Benny shot her…and that was something she tried not to think about it, because she didn’t like to think luck picked her to do something, as some people suggested.
She was just a courier…one who’d been given devastating packages, twice now.