Chapter 101: Six Shot

Inside the Mojave Outpost barracks Afton could see Cass sitting alongside another woman. It was strange as they seemed to be relatively friendly towards one another, he'd always assumed Cass didn't actually have any friends in this place, on account of her habit of punching things after a couple of drinks.

She notices the duo as they walk in and perks up, "You're back?"

Karl shrugs at her, "What? You weren't expecting that? Good to know." he states before sitting down and buying a drink from Lacey.

Cass frowns, "That's not what I mean and you know it... Did you clear the roads?"

Afton nods, "Yeah, but I doubt they're going to let you leave anyway... The road is safe from the ant colony, but with what happened to Nipton I reckon you'll be stuck here for the foreseeable future."

"What happened? I heard there was smoke but just assumed it was fire or something..."

"Legion." Karl growls out.

"Legion? The fuck are they doing so deep in NCR territory? Fuck... There's no way Jackson'll be letting anyone go now!" she exclaims, clearly upset at the situation.

They're silent for a moment before Afton glances at Cass's new friend. She was around 6ft and has long black hair, dark brown eyes, tanned skin, beautiful face that's sadly marred by numerous scars, and is wearing a Vault 21 Jumpsuit.

It was the first time he'd actually seen a Vault suit with his own eyes... It was a blue skin-tight leather one-piece with a zip at the front and a large white 21 on the back. To be honest, with how 'voluptuous' the woman wearing it was, all the men's eyes were drawn towards her... The Vault jumpsuit didn't leave much to the imagination...

Not only that, but the woman had a Pipboy strapped to her left wrist... It was rare to find any that were functional and he wondered if she was actually a Vault dweller, or if she'd just come across them. One thing he did want to know was whether or not she was able to level up like he was... It was unlikely but he had to find out.

One thing he did find strange was one of her scars on her face didn't appear to be from blades, grazes, or other non-lethal weaponry... Instead, he was sure she had a bullet wound just under her hairline...

*Thunk*

The woman had suddenly stabbed a large hunting knife into the table and glared at him, "Like what you see?"

Afton slowly nods with a sheepish expression.

She gives him an almost too-bright smile, "Good, then I'll be at ease when I pluck those eyes out of your head." she spits harshly.

Afton was slightly taken aback by this, had he done something wrong to offend her? Everyone else in the bar was staring at her like he had been. Quickly composing himself he tries to take control of the situation with his new-found Speech skill. "Er-... Sorry, I got lost in your eyes is all..."

Karl besides him snorts into his drink and almost chokes on it while Cass just gives him a blank look.

The woman glares at him, "Didn't realise I had eyes on my tits." she says in a dull tone.

"Ah... That? I was surprised to see a Vault dweller here, didn't think the Mojave had any wandering around." he quickly says.

She shakes her head, "I'm not a Vault dweller, name's Tamia..."

"Afton, the old man's Karl." he says and Tamia nods. "So you're friend with Cass then?" he asks/

Tamia shakes her head, "Only just met her a few hours ago, a few drinks in and I'm still here." she shrugs.

"She's apparently looking for some douche in a checkered suit." Cass adds from the side.

"Checkered suit?" Afton inquires, having never seen anyone wearing something as garish as that.

Tamia nods and gestures to her forehead, "Fucker shot me in the face and left me in a shallow grave up in Goodsprings... Some robot dug me out and took me to the doctor who patched me up."

"How are you alive?" Afton asks in disbelief, "Sure you can survive a bullet to the head if it glances off bone, but that wound looks like it fully entered your cranium, add the dirt that potentially got mixed with the blood-brain barrier and you shoulda died of infection not long after... You're either incredibly lucky or very, very sturdy."

The two women just look at him blankly, "Didn't take you for an egg-head Afton." Cass mutters as she sips her drink.

"Apparently the Doc spent some time pulling lead fro my head... I wouldn't say I got off scot-free though. I... Don't remember much before it."

Afton raises a brow, "Amnesia?"

Tamia nods, "I remember that I used to be a courier... That my name is Tamia... But that's about it. What I was doing before getting shot is a mystery to me."

"Yeah... Traumatic damage to the brain tends to do that, you should be thankful that you can still walk, talk, and function normally."

Tamia leans forwards and rests her elbows on the bar, "I've lost everything, even myself, even if I can't get it back I'll still kill that bastard that did this to me. Once I find him of course."

"Well, if you wanna find a pompous ass-hole dressed in a suit then you best head to New Vegas... Could kill as many of them as you like." Karl jokes.

Tamia shakes her head, "I spoke with the Deputy in Primm, might find something in Nipton apparently."

Afton raises a brow, "Didn't you hear me earlier? Nipton's been destroyed... Everyone who'd been living there has been killed by the Legion."

Tamia grips her fists tightly and shakes her head, "It doesn't matter, I'll keep moving, even if I end up nowhere. If Nipton's got nothing then Novac might."