Afton changes focus from the almost blinding strip to his companions, "Alright, where to first?"
Boone just shrugs, "No idea."
"If you're looking for someone, wouldn't it be best if we split up?" Josie asks with the other nodding.
"Yeah, that seems like the easiest way forward... But you guys won't go alone, I've heard too many horror stories about this place to trust it... Kidnapping, cannibalism, slavery. I trust you guys' skill, but in enemy territory, it won't mean all that much."
Karl sighs at where this is going, "Alright, but I-"
Afton cuts him off , "-And since you and Josie were such a good team last time, I think putting you to together would be for the best." he says with a small grin.
"Damned traitor." Karl mutters under his breath.
"Boone, you'll go with ED-E. Sure, he might not be the best at combat, but the rest of us will definitely hear about it if you and a 'flying robot' start shooting up a casino."
Boone just nods, "Fine by me."
*Beeep Beep!*
Afton nods, "Alright... Just incase you guys need a reminder, I'm looking for some very close friends. A female with messy dark brown hair, pale skin, and dark brown eyes... Like's power fists, punching people, and... Dresses."
"Huh... Something doesn't match up there." Karl mutters, with the other giving similar sentiments.
Afton shrugs, "She likes what she likes... The other person is female, 6ft, tan skin, long dark brown hair, brown eyes, with scarring on her face... Specifically, look for a bullet wound on her forehead. Last time I saw her she was wearing a Vault suit, but I doubt she'd still be wearing it...
Currently, she's hunting some guy in a checkered suit, so if you get word of him find me and let me know. That'll be their target."
"A bullet wound on her forehead?... Shouldn't she be like, dead?" Josie asks.
"Yeah, but apparently she's too stubborn to die... I personally wouldn't want to fuck with her, Karl can attest to that." Afton says and Karl gives a stern nod in response.
Afton also needed to find Major Lowell Thompson Jr, but he wasn't about to tell them that. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, he'd assassinate the fat fuck and be out before his body hit the floor.
"Is everyone okay with the plan?" he asks and the group nods, "Right, well take some caps with you as well, not gambling would make you look out of place... Just try not to lose it all in one go." he says, handing-off a couple pouches of caps.
Afterwards, he looks to the casino's and gestures to the first, "I'll hit up that one while you guys do the rest. Good luck, and try to have some fun... I can guarantee you won't be getting another opportunity here for a while." he says before walking to Gomorrah.
As he leaves Karl looks at the others and chuckles, "Kid doesn't know that's the biggest whore house in the whole Mojave... Wish I could see his face when he realises it."
Boone smirks slightly but manages to hide it, "I'll check out the Ultra-Lux... Heard some bad rumours about it a while back."
Karl nods and looks to Josie, "Guess that means we're at the Top..." he says with a chuckle while gesturing to the Tops Casino.
"Wow... You look like an old man, sound like an old man, and now you're telling jokes like an old man... You'll be retiring soon, right?" Josie says.
Karl scoffs and grumbles, "Let's just get to work, youngster." he retorts while walking to the Tops.
Elsewhere :
Afton had just entered Gomorrah after passing by the numerous prostitutes that were dancing just outside on the strip. Once inside he's accosted by someone wearing pre-war gangster attire... A nice-looking suit with a black trilby hat.
"Ey, you can't come in here lookin' like that." the man growls out as he approaches.
Afton raises a brow, wondering if his mutations would prevent him from entering any casino, "What do you mean?"
The gangster gestures at him, "Kid, you literally have more weapons than you have limbs. I don't know what kinda freaky bull-shit freakshow you came outta, but that's not how we do on the Strip, you dig?"
...
"Err, yeah, I 'dig'..."
"Then hand over them irons and you can gamble your life away like the rest'o them." he says, gesturing towards the front desk.
Afton follows the man to the reception area but stops just before he's forced to give his weapons, "These won't be touched while I'm gone, right? They hold tremendous sentimental value, and are quite dangerous to those unfamiliar with them..." he says, warning them of the danger they'd be in should they touch his guns.
The man shrugs, "They'll be kept locked up, safe and outta anyone's hands until you come back. You have my word on that." the man says and Afton nods.
Still, there's no honour among thieves, so Afton slips his Fallen Ranger Sequoia into one of the pockets in the Stealthsuit, using his Stealth skill to the max to makesure the Gangster doesn't notice.
"What's this thing?" the man asks while examining his two Proton axes.
"Ah, those?... Er, backscratchers... Yeah, I know a couple massages that I was hoping to use on the..." he looks around and spots a prostitute dancing in a cage that's hanging from the ceiling. "On the girls here... You know, can't enjoy myself unless the other party is at least having fun."
...
The gangster shrugs and hands them back, "Whatever, personally I wouldn't be able to tell if the broads here are happy, sad, or suicidal. Best just to get your money's worth, you know what I'm sayin'?"
Afton nods with the best 'empathising' look he can give, "Yeah, but who else am I gonna practise my technique on? The misses isn't all that receptive to 'toys', so I might as well use my talents elsewhere."
"Hahaha! You're my kinda guy, what's you're name? Wouldn't think someone as young as you would even have a misses."
Afton chuckles jovially, "Harvey Weinstein."
The man nods, "Name, Joey Juliano." he leans in, "But that's just my club name, in private, call me Bill."
Afton nods and shakes his hand, sliding a few caps into his palm, "Pleasure meeting you, 'Joey'." he says before walking further into the casino.
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Gomorrah turned out not to be the 'casino; Afton had expected it to be. Sure, in the main room there were blackjack and poker tables, but they were merely a front so guests had an excuse for coming here.
Afton walked around the club and quickly came to the realisation that this was no casino, but a whore house. He honestly hadn't thought a brothel this big would survive in the Mojave... Sexually transmitted diseases were usually stopped via condoms and other medicine, but, did condoms even exist nowadays?
The answer is most certainly, no. So, people who came here to indulge did so at their own risk. Afton was pretty sure the girls weren't being compensated properly for their life-threatening 'career'.
So, as a girl in a skimpy outfit came to see if he wanted any drinks as he watched a pole dance, he checked her over with [Living Anatomy].
[Tina Harrow]
Health : 67%
Stamina : 40%
DT : 1
Strength : 2
Perception : 5
Endurance : 4
Charisma : 8
Intelligence : 3
Agility : 4
Luck : 3
Ailments :
[Lacerations] : Increase likelihood to start bleeding from other trauma.
[Hairline cheek fracture] : Causes pain when moving facial muscles or eating.
[HIV] : Damages immune system and eventually develops into AIDS, loss of health and eventual death. -1 Endurance.
[Yeast infection] : Causes itchiness and pain.
[Jet addiction] : -1 Agility, -1 Charisma.
Afton glances at the status and mentally grimaces, that certainly wasn't good, not just because of the diseases, but because of her injuries too... One didn't receive those kinds unless you're brawling, in battle, or being abused.
He sends the woman off to get him a whisky while thinking what he should do about it, or whether it was better left alone... He still needed to find Tamia and Veronica, so he couldn't intervene, right?...
He shakes his head and decides he'd speak to the girl and then plan his actions afterwards. Fortunately, just as he makes this decision she walks up and places the drink on his table, smiling at him and waiting if he needed anything else.
Afton lightly coughs into his hand before turning his attention to her, "Er, excuse me miss? I was wondering if I could... Hire you?"
...
The woman raises a brow and looks over in the direction of some gangsters before slowly nodding, "I-um, I'd love that... If you've got what it takes." she states, and Afton just nods and forks over a handful of caps.
The girl takes one last glance at the gangsters before leading up through the club and to a room. The places thick with incense or whatever else they use to cover the smell of sex and old semen, but Afton's senses were good enough that he could smell everything anyway.
She leaves the door unlocked and strides to the heart-shaped bed while stripping her clothes off. She's pretty, sure, but Afton could tell that under all the makeup she'd look sickly, and injured.
He could see the barely healed lacerations around her thighs, as if someone had secured her in place with barbed wire to torture her. He raises his hand up before she could get too into this... He wasn't fucking around with HIV, even if it was supposedly immune to all diseases. "Stop... I only wanted to talk, I'm not interested in your 'normal' services. Alright?"
The girl frowns and glances towards the door that's currently behind Afton, as if thinking about how to escape. "You sure? We don't do refunds here you know..."
Afton shrugs, "I don't mind, as long as you try to answer my questions to the best of your ability."
She nods, "Fine, but you touch me and I'll scream, the boys'll come runnin'."
"Scream if you want, but I won't be the cause of it... My first question is, where did you get those injuries?"
The girl raises a brow and her hands unconsciously move to her legs, "I don't know what you mean?"
Afton just gestures at her, "I know one thing for certain, those wounds on your legs weren't from tripping... Does it still hurt from when he hit you in the face?"
[Spies Guise is in effect]
"H-how do you know about that?" the girl blurts out, her eyes going wide at her own words.
Afton nods, "Ah, so it did happen. Good thing you confirmed it for me, I wasn't entirely sure what the cause was..." he pauses, "Who's responsible for it?"
The girl's breath hitches in her throat and she shakes her head, "I won't tell you... Thing'll only get worse if word gets out... If you want to help, it's best you just leave."
Afton shakes his head, "I don't know that until I figure out what's happening. I'm not one to run away from challenges, so work with me on this and maybe we can help each other out."
"I won't... Can't. I think you should go." she finally says, rubbing her neck anxiously.
Afton sighs, knowing he won't be getting any good information out of her. "Fine, I'll leave your injuries alone, just answer a few more questions and I'll go." he says and she nods, "Have you heard of two women called Tamia and Veronica?" he asks, going on to describe their looks and personalities.
The girl shakes her head, "No... Never seen anyone like that..."
"Ok... Do you know of a man called Lowell Thompson Jr?"
...
"One of them NCR soldiers, right?" the girl asks before continuing, "Fat, ugly guy, sometimes enjoys the girls here... He hasn't been around for a while, don't know where he is..." she admits.
Afton slowly nods, seems like the major isn't as honourable as some might think. He wasn't sure what the military ettiquate was in the NCR, but he was certain Higher ranked individuals would be warned away from something like that... Scandals don't exactly help with their look after all. "Alright... Thanks for your time, try to keep yourself safe." he says while turning to leave.
The girl doesn't say anything as he exits, simply watching his back with a troubled look.
Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
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