Chapter 105: Supplies : Stolen

The group loot the Vipers and their hideout but don't find all that much. Their weaponry was not well maintained and would only be worth a couple hundred caps all together.

They did find a small stash of Chems which Afton quickly shoved into his satchel along with the rest, he'd sell them as soon as he found someone suitable to take them, he couldn't exactly sell heavily restricted Chems to the NCR could he?

They continued around the cliff until they found a small dull painting on a wall, looking at the surrounding area closer they could see a small hidden path leading into a cave. This must be it, fortunately it was hidden well enough otherwise the Vipers and anyone else who happened across it could've already picked through it.

The group enter inside while Afton and Tamia turn on their Pipboy lights, illuminating the place in amber and green light respectively. They didn't encounter any enemies and Afton glances towards Tamia while chewing on his tongue for a moment before asking, "Hey, Tamia... During a fight do you ever... Feel like time has stopped?"

She raises a brow at the strange question, "Stopped time?... I don't think so, sometimes everything feels slow but that's just the adrenaline I think..."

Afton breathed a sigh of relief at this, she gave no indication that her Pipboy worked like his did, she'd either never experienced VATS, was very good at lying, or simply didn't have the system. He was pretty sure he'd be about to sniff out a lie with [Spies Guise] so he was almost certain her Pipboy was normal.

He nods, "Yeah, probably just the adrenaline. Just wanted to know if everyone else got the same feeling as me sometimes... It's pretty weird." he explains it off and they continue into the cave.

No one pursues his peculiar question and they eventually step out into a large room, large supply crates seem to have been built inside here and a locker sits in the middle of the room on the floor. Karl scans the room with his eyes for traps before shrugging, "Let me check the crates aren't rigged before you start going through 'em." he says.

The other two nod, Afton walking over and checking what's inside the locker. He cracks it open and is greeted with a compressed bundle of what looks like radiation suits... He didn't know why they were here, or even if they'd actually be useful. Regardless he stuffed them into his packback and looked over to Karl who was still examining the crates.

"Found a few radiation suits, any idea what we should do with 'em?"

"Best keep hold of a few and sell the rest, never know when they'll be useful." Karl mutters as he cracks over the crate and traces the inside with a finger, nodding to himself as he feels no trigger.

The group pop open the various crates and check what're inside them... There was four crates in total, one containing many MRE'S that the NCR probably uses, meaning that this was likely their supplies at one point.

Another contained many useful components and scrap metal, probably for repairs and such, Afton took a couple of tools that were also contained and stuffed them into his satchel, they'd make it much easier to maintain or modify weaponry.

The last two were the most interesting, one contained piles of NCR uniforms, all looking freshly made, while the other contained a large number of service rifles, 9mm pistols, grenades, and ammunition for the respective weapons.

This was the actual jackpot, the other crates were relatively useless to them, but this weaponry could be sold for a pretty penny. Afton glances to Tamia, "You wanna upgrade your gear? A machine gun would always be useful." he states.

She nods and slings one of the service rifles over her shoulder next to the axe, stuffing some ammunition into the small knapsack she was using to carry various items. Afterwards Afton and Karl both stuff their bags full with ammunition and weaponry, it's a shame they'd have to leave some behind but, it wasn't like they couldn't come back for it later...

One thing Afton did make sure to keep from the other two's sight is a small comic he noticed when they first came in... Grognack the Barbarian, a skillbook that increased his Melee Weapons skill by 3 once he touched it. It's a shame it turned to dust as it sounded like a pretty cool read...

[+3 Melee Weapons]

The group exit the cave with a much heavier load than before, now with thirteen extra service rifles, fifteen 9mm pistols, and enough ammo to use all of them simultaneously for a good deal of time. Not to mention the radiation suits Afton currently had stored away.

With that they continue back on their journey, heading back to the main road and continuing along the highway. They don't encounter anymore threats as they reach the intersect where they'd agreed to split up.

The group look at the small road that heads north that'll lead past the Ranger Station Charlie and eventually Novac. Tamia nods at the duo, "Thanks for the help. The offer's still up if you wanna help me crack a few skulls."

Afton shakes his head, "Maybe another time, good luck finding that checker suit wearing douchebag."

And so without much fanfare the Courier split off from them, heading directly for Novac. Before they vanished behind the horizon they gave one last wave which the duo reciprocated.

"Think she'll be alright?" Afton asks, not really knowing how her 'quest' would turn out.

Karl nods, "Yeah, there are special kinds of people in this world kid, people like that 'chosen one' or the 'Lone wanderer' down in DC... I think she might just be one of those people." he quietly says.

Afton raises a brow at this, the Lone Wanderer had been the protagonist of the third game, he didn't know who the Chosen one was but they were probably the protagonist of the first or second... Wouldn't that mean that Tamia was supposed to be the protagonist of New Vegas?... Normal people wouldn't usually survive a bullet to the head, so it was plausible.

He shakes the thoughts away, regardless of his thoughts on what should have originally occurred, he knew his presence would undoubtedly have an effect on the events that should've come to pass. This was real life, his life, and he'd do with it however he pleased.