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Chapter 14: Déjà vu

>The back of your head hits the headrest of one the of chairs that the brotherhood has in its conference room.

>You scowl to yourself and wonder WHY.

>WHY does this group need a fucking conference room.

>Elder Macnemeria sits with Paladin Ramos, paladin...whatshisface; and a few others you hadn't bothered learning the names of.

>You sit around discussing your gun.

>"I'm just saying that no other person has successfully melded an energy weapon with a kinetic weapon! and somehow a random scavenger did?" one of the paladins you don't know the name of retorts, frowning and pointing at your gun.

>You frown at him and correct him.

>"I'm not some random scavenger, I'm a Boomer; and I know more about guns than you do about your pecker" you retort with an annoyed scowl; wishing you weren't part of this conference.

>"Hey I-!" He begins.

"Shut! up! Its not two guns melded of fused or whatever, its literally 2 guns built onto one frame" you explain with fierce calmness.

>The paladin goes silent and stares at the bastard; a look of realization on his face, while another paladin speaks up.

>"Two guns built onto one frame...One trigger pull, 2 shots...And both guns need to be reloaded independently" He says calmly, looking over your gun.

>"Yea, it packs a punch but needs to be reloaded twice; if you only load one, it'll mangle the other due to heat, now can I go? I gave you the blueprints and shit". you say with an annoyed sigh.

>This meeting had gone on for far too long; a few hours of these BoS (More like PoS) people looking over the gun you made.

>You just wanted to get back to Gracie and make dinner.

>She is out hunting bark scorpions so you could make her favorite meal for her.

>As long as she grabbed agave and some banana yucca at the same time, you could make a masterpiece of food for her.

>"Look, I'm leaving this meeting; I'll give you two weeks to look over everything on my gun so you can maybe remake it or improve it" you say as you stand up from your chair.

>Where did they get comfy revolving chairs?

>You shake that thought from your head.

>"H-Hey! This meeting isn't been adjourned!" interjects Paladin Ramos, attempting to rise from his seat.

>"Fuck off Ramos, unless you want to explain your black eye" you retort as you casually stride out of the conference room, flicking him the finger.

>You're sure he hadn't told his superiors that you had given him the black eye from when you punched him.

>He wasn't supposed to have his helmet off.

>And at the same time, you put your helmet back on.

>The opaque visor of the Sierra Madre helmet made members of the brotherhood part before you like schools of fish avoiding a shark.

>But at the same time, it hid your face, now deformed and missing an eye.

>They didn't need to see you like this, especially now.

>The Brotherhood Of Steel is not a force to be taken lightly; even now in their huddled form they were a force that could challenge the Courier, and maybe even present a small challenge to him.

>Which is not speaking ill of the brotherhood.

>You saw no need to expose your weakness to them.

>The courier was someone you knew NOT to cross.

>Pip and Amber had some sort of alliance with him to use the lucky 38; and you were not going to allow the BoS to use you as ANY kind of leverage against any of them.

>The Courier was a predator, finding weaknesses and using them to exert power.

>The BoS were Predators made prey, looking for a way back into the sunlight.

>You were their path back into the sunlight.

>Of course, you are not a willing participant in this path but you could recognize it .

>They get what you gather from places they failed at.

>Treads from a forgotten vault.

>A Forcefield generator in a dead city covered in a blood red cloud.

>And next a gun that can devastate in a nuclear wasteland.

>You stride out through of the bunker, annoyed you had to sit through a stupid meeting like that.

>Sure you left them your new gun, but they would need it to reproduce it; if they could.

>As you emerge from the bunker into the sunlight, you take note of the suns position.

>Based on where it hangs in the sky, its maybe a little past 2; Gracie might be out for another hour or 2.

>You head back to the bunker and begin preparations for her arrival.

>She would have 3 or 4 bark scorpions and would expect you to cook them up for her.

>Or course. you don't mind because she would reward you with...well, she would reward you.

>It only takes a moment for you to get everything together to make Gracie's favorite meal.

>>Now it is just time to wait for her to come back.

>Annoyedly, you check your pip boy.

>It's been 3 hours since you returned to the bunker; your preparations sitting out.

>You fidget awkwardly with the strap of your shotgun, debating what to do.

>Did Gracie just have a slow day?

>She might have gone after a bighorner or something to impress you...

>But what if she was in trouble?

>BUT! If she wasn't in trouble and you searched her out she would be annoyed...

>You frown and stand.

>Screw her annoyance, you are worried about her.

>Keeping your shotgun at low ready, you stride out of your home; ready for anything to leap out at you.

>Nothing does and you begin to scour the desert.

>Sure, the hidden valley is a big place, but you already knew your way around it; even in the sandstorms.

>There is a notable lack of scorpions as you search the valley, maybe she went a little father than normal?

>As you search a glint of light to your left catches your eye.

>Can't hurt to check it out right.

>Mou march over, your shotgun at port-arms; ready to bring it to bear on any threat.

>Instead of a threat, you find 2 dead legionnaires, a few dozen spent casings, and blood.

>What happened here?

>You recognize Gracie's boot prints in the fine sand.

>Following the boot prints; you follow Where Gracie went.

>She must have gone invisible and flanked them. only for a few of the legionnaires to break off and flank her..

>There is no blood near her boot prints meaning...They got her, but there is no body...

>Those past legionnaires had called her an oracle...

>Fuck..

>FUCK.

>You should have never let her off on her own!

>Now...Now it looks like the legion had her captured!

>But how could you have known...You think to yourself and you review the scene.

>How could you save her?

>The legion was based on the eastern shore of the Colorado river, a full encampment on fortification hill.

>The Courier had let them stay there provided the didn't fuck around to much; and this wasn't really enough to get him involved.

>So, now it was you against an army of legion soldiers.

>You would need an army for get her back.

>No.

>Not an army.

>Someone equivalent to an army.

>Your mind flashes back to a man with a hook and and a shotgun,fiercely protective of Gracie.

>You need him.

>But how to get to him? You din't even know his name.

>Again in desperation you mind flashes to what he said.

>"Slavers ain't friends"

>You frown and sweep the area one last time.

>Gracie trying to sneak around...

>A few of them getting hit with a bullet spray of her gun.

>And a convergence; then heavy foot prints toward cottonwood cove.

>Hatred fills you as you look at the boot prints trailing away from you.

>They ambushed her, knocked her out, and carried her away.

>Those fucking legionnaire BASTARDS.

>Cowards to attack her while she was alone.

>No.

>Lucky that they found her alone without you.

>Again the words echo in your head.

>"Slavers ain't friends"

>Whoever he was, He cared about nightstalkers.

>You grimace and head toward Freeside, adopting the pace you had before you met Gracie.

>Quick, almost a jog.

>No time to waste.

>After an hour you reach Freeside and look around.

>This place is what you had always observed from Nellis.

>A Fucking ghetto.

>But a ghetto you could pass information through.

>"HEY KID! Come 'ere" you call to a small child, who was running after another kid.

>"What'cha want mister?" he says, clearly reluctant to cease his chase of his friend.

>You pull out a bag Gracie had made of gecko skin leather.

>Inside is 500 caps.

>You open it to the child and smile at him, rattling the bottle caps for emphasis.

>"These are yours; all you have to do it tell EVERYONE in freeside that someone is buying Nightstalkers in Broc flower cave" you say with a smile hold the bag out to him.

>He looks from you to the sack and nods with a smile.

>"That's all I gotta do?!" he exclaims happily as he takes the bag then runs to the nearest adult.

>You give a pained smile as he runs off.

>Would the giant listen? Would he respond? All you knew is he hated slavers.

>Hopefully this is enough to reach him.

>It's been a week.

>You've sat in Broc flower cave; the place you met Gracie, for a week now.

>You don't mind though.

>He will be coming, you're sure of it.

>You're loading legion coins into shells for your riot shotgun when you hear a pained squeal from a giant rat.

>Setting aside your guns, you wait.

>It doesn't take long for him to appear before you.

>All 7 foot something on him iin riot control gear and his engraved lever action shotgun.

>As he strides into the cave, you raise you hands in surrender.

>"I am not your enemy" you say as he raises that engraved shotgun right in your face.

>"Anyone show sells noodles is an enemy" he growls in his gruff voice.

>"I'm not selling anyone, I need your help" you reply, slowly pulling your helmet off.

>As you pull off your helmet and show the man you face, his eyes widen for just a moment, then his grip tightens on his gun as his eyes focus further on you.

>In that moment, you know recognizes you.

>"Where's the lady who called you her friend?" He asks peering around quickly, his finger on the trigger of his shotgun, ready to pull if you answered wrong.

>You stare at him unafraid.

>"The Legion; they took her while I was busy, they called her an oracle' You respond, showing him your hands, outstretched in front you of with the palms up.

>A sign of surrender.

>If you meant him any ill will, you would have such a hard time taking him down with your palms outstretched in front of you.

>He lowers his shotgun, his hook making a slight hissing sound as it slides down the barrel of his gun.

>"What do you want" he rasps, holding his gun at the low ready position.

>"I want help" You explain "No, I NEED your help, the Legion took Gracie and I don't know why, fuck I don't even care why; I just want her safe"

>the man looks you over for a moment, his grey eyes looking you over.

>"You've been to the sierra madre? You wear the armor of the security there" he asks as if he wasn't ready to blow your head off.

>You look down at your armor. It DOES say sierra madre all over it.

>"We were there together along with another nightstalker and human, they helped us"

>"Another..." the man says absentmindedly, looking away from you.

>He snaps back to you in a second, a neutral look on his face.

>"What have you been doing this whole time she was gone" he asks, frowning at you.

>You motion your arm around you.

>"Preparing"

>For the last week, you had been stuffing Legion coins into shotgun shells.

>You have dozens of rounds ready

>The man looks at the stockpile, one of the corners of his mouth ticked up.

>"What's the plan which these?" he asks as he tucks he shotgun away under his coat.

>"They took Gracie, I'm gonna buy he back with these" you answer gently tossing a shell full of legion coins to him.

>He catches the shell and looks it over, nods; then tucks it into a pocket of his NCR ranger jacket.

>"The legion think nightstalkers gals are oracles, the "shamans" of the legion smoke their venom with tobacco" the giant rumbles.

>"Gracie said she has z12 vemon and that it is deadly, why would the legion smoke it?" you ask as you stand and begin putting the prepared shells into you pack.

>you don't object as the giant packs away a few for himself.

>"It wouldn't kill them but would give them one hell of a trip; They think it gives them future sight, that they can use different nightstalkers to predict the future" he grumbles.

>Thinking about it made you scowl.

>A group of legion fucks, forcing Gracie to give them venom.

>You don't know how it works; but it makes your furious regardless.

>"What should I call you, I cant just keep calling you "you""" you ask the giant, loading coin filled shells into your riot shotgun as you follow him.

>"Hm?...Oh...I suppose you can call me Ray" he answers as the two of you leave Broc Flower cave.

>You picked this place specifically because if is close to cottonwood cove.

>"And what do I call you, "friend"? Ray asks with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

>Just from his emphasis on the word friend, you knew he preferred to work alone.

>You had been there before.

>Before Gracie.

>"Boomer, you can call me boomer" you answer as you jog slightly to keep up with him.

>God is this what Gracie felt when she was with you?"

>You owe her an apology.

>"Boomer? like those hermits on Nellis?" Comes a surprised Rasp

>You nod.

>"I'm from there. Why? Did you trade with them?"

>Ray stays quiet for a moment, a moment where you aren't sure he would answer your question.

>"I didn't trade with them; but I respected them for their absolute control and mastery of weapons" he responds, giving to a side eye looks of re evaluation.

>You silently nod at him then pull out your Gobi scout rifle, loading it and checking the sight.

>"Cottonwood cove has some serious baddies, maybe I should handle it" Ray says calmly, as he scans the terrain.

>You chamber a .308 round into the scout rifle.

>"I took care of most of the "baddies" a few weeks ago, the NCR has kept the Legion at bay" you respond casually, adjusting the sight of your rifle.

>Only a slight uptick of the corner of his mouth betrays his reaction.

>"Nice job then, they probably will only have a few legionaries guarding the dock" he rasps as you both make it to the crest of the hill.

>You can see the building and the dock the Legion has been using as a waypoint from their camp to the rest of the Mojave.

>"Probably" you answer as you take a knee and aim down the sight of your rifle.

>Ray waits patiently as you scan the area.

>"They've only got 4 guards down there, but the might be a centurion inside though" you report as you begin picking the guards off.

>Your rifle isn't silenced, but you are far enough away to just hear the shoots echoing.

>"Nice shooting, leave one alive" Ray grunts.

>An armored centurion runs out of the second floor of the building and is about to run down the stairs as you shoot his right knee.

>He falls over, writhing in pain and probably screaming, but you're too far away to hear it.

>You smile as you lower the rifle, then stand up calmly "Lets go see whats been going on with the legion"

>Ray nods and being trekking down the slope towards cottonwood cove, with you following along behind him, keeping your rifle at port arms.

>After about 100 meters you begin to hear the centurions pained grunts.

>Fucking legion idiots don't use stimpaks still? He must have used healing powder or something because he should be screaming.

>In another 200 meters you and Ray making it to the building and follow the groans of pain up the stairs to the downed centurion.

>"I'll handle this one" Ray growls, looking in disgust at the downed legionnaire.

>You shrug and step back as Ray grabs the "collar" of his arm and lifts him bodily with just one hand.

>The centurion struggles against Rays grasp, attempting to pry his hand off at first, then resorts to trying to hit Ray.

>In a flash of metal Ray's hook lashes out, swiping through armor and flesh like they were butter.

>The centurions gives out pained cry before Ray shakes him hard.

>"Did a Nightstalker come through here?" Ray snarls, shaking the helpless man like he was a ragdoll.

>"S-screw you Seeker! That oracle belong to legate Nero!" he groans out between the shakes.

>Ray stops for a moment.

>"So one did come through then" he replies with satisfaction.

>With how pale the guys face was, you were certain no more blood could have drained from it.

>But when he realized what he had said it did.

>"WAS SHE HURT?" you interject, stepping toward Ray; who extends his clawed arm to you to stop.

>"I will handle this" he says calmly and slowly.

>you nod slightly and step back.

>"But a good question none the less" he rasps softly, focusing back on the still struggling man.

>"Was your "oracle" hurt?"

>The now soft tone he was using is off putting to say the least.

>It was like a deathclaw having human hands, its just...odd.

>"S-seeker, you will not intimidate me! I am Centurion De-"

>Ray interrupts him by digging the point of his hook into the gunshot wound you made with your rifle.

>"Was. She. HURT!?" Ray all but screams the last word and you swear for a moment his eyes turned Red.

>The false bravado falls apart in the centurion and he slumps.

>"S-she was unharmed, legate Nero decreed they must not be harmed"

>"Good" Ray says before tossing him off the second story.

>You eye him curiously.

>"Seeker?"

>"They take nightstalkers as slaves, I take them back" he says simply.

>Why does he have such an interest in Nightstalkers? a question for later perhaps.

>You head to the dock with Ray in tow, walking casually past the centurion.

>"Letting him live?" you ask as you pull out your shotgun and check the drum to make sure its loaded.

>"He was of use to us and he will tell others" Ray responds.

>Makes sense you guess.

>Regardless, you don't push the issue and get intro the boat that will take you and Ray to Fortification Hill.

>Ray gets in and shoves off, taking you one step closer to saving Gracie.

>Closer to Saving your mate.