Dean shrugs and begins listing out the various districts of the town. It takes a while due to him having to explain the various shortcuts and pathways needed to get from one area to another, but eventually they have a clear picture painted out.
The various areas for the town were known as;
Puesta del Sol : Most of the construction of the place wasn't even completed, in addition, most of the ground level is completely covered by the Cloud, making it almost unpassable, save a few like Dean. Of course, with all the danger present, there had to be a point of interest, in particular the Switching Station that was vital for gaining access to the Sierra Madre Casino atop the mountain. Though, Dean is reluctant to tell them how, or why.
Residential District : Their current location, the ground floor as per usual is heavy with the Cloud, and the traps Dean had set around the place only made it more perilous to traverse. Add the many, many Ghosts wandering around and few would willingly venture here, though, this makes it a perfect spot for Dean to make his home.
Salida del Sol : A place completely infested by Ghosts, which is ironic due to the fact it's where most religious housing and churches were placed. The infestation is only made worse by the fact that no Holograms were present to kill the Ghosts, the reason for this was due to 'religious mandates or some such' as Dean describes it. Again, explains that another Switching Station is present here, though he'd apparently never seen it since this district is the most dangerous by far.
Medical District : This place formerly held many clinics, hospitals and medical research buildings, but is now patrolled by Ghosts. Dean had explored a good portion of it, but hadn't been there lately due to the speakers that were strategically placed around... These Speakers would apparently detonate the collars if someone was stood within their range for long enough... Now it's no longer an issue of course, but that didn't mean they wanted Elijah to know of their treachery yet.
Villa : This is where Elijah first spoke to the group, and where they landed the Vertibird... They'd probably need to get back to it at some point if they wanted to escape. Afton was all too aware that the Cloud lingering overhead would probably prevent any attempts at teleportation... There's also the fact that if they tried, only half of them would reach their destination.
Villa Police Station : Last and certainly least, was the police station... Apparently, Dean had already looted this place dry, and with what he found made numerous traps, mines, and other explosives with it. He'd scrapped most of the ballistic weaponry there for gunpowder and other metal components, making going there basically pointless.
All of this information was fantastic but still didn't help their efforts in finding Christine all that much... Though, at least now they knew where they were looking, and Dean's help would probably prevent them from walking around in circles.
Afton stands from his seated position and claps his hands together, making a metallic sound ring out, "Alright, we should probably get moving then..." he looks to Dean, "Any idea where we should check first?"
The ghoul shrugs, "I would not know where to start... We're trying to find someone who's likely a captive of 'HIM'... So maybe the Police Station Cells would be a place to start?" he offers.
Afton nods, "Good enough for me."
The group leave Dean's home and begin taking his various shortcuts through the Residential District towards where the Police Station is. Strangely or not, Elijah has yet to trigger any of the Ghost attracting alarms. Afton was pretty sure this was due to the presence of Dean, but he could be wrong...
Something to note while they travelled was the fact that the Cloud was able to corrode most metals... This even included Saturnite Alloy, meaning Afton and Veronica's Power armour wouldn't protect them if they fell into it.
The group had almost reached the Police Station and were currently standing on a rooftop overlooking the street where its entrance lay.
Dean has an odd look on his face as he looks down it however, "I don't remember there being so many Ghosts before... And the Cloud... Looks like someone has pumped it in from another District. Maybe 'HE' doesn't want you to find something inside?" he questions.
Afton nods, "It's starting to look tha-" he starts, but before he can finish his sentence his Danger Sense blares like another sun from behind him.
He turns around in time to dodge the kick aimed at his back, but is too late to stop Anja from being thrown from the roof and towards the street below, the street thick with the Cloud and Ghosts...
"Fuck!" Afton shouts, ignoring the attacker for now as he leaps for Anja, managing to grab her midair as they tumble towards the street. They slam into the wall opposite the rooftop and drop into the Cloud as the other watch.
Veronica turns towards the attacker and gives an enraged shout as she attempts to shoot it in the face with her Gauss Rifle. The Nightkin Super Mutant who'd ambushed them immediately ducks to avoid a shot, and with speed not seen commonly seen from its species, tackles her while managing to knock the rifle from her hands and into the street below.
"Piece of shit!" Veronica shouts as she wrestles with the mutant, their strength somewhat matched, though, after a few traded punches, it was clear she was slightly weaker than it, even with her Power armour.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The Super Mutant is about to slam its fists down on Veronica's head when it stumbles from being shot in the back. Dean glares at the mutant while still pointing his revolver, "You may have just killed my ticket out of here, you will regret it!" he states while unloading the rest of his bullets.
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After Dean unloads the rest of his bullets at the Super Mutant, Veronica is finally given a chance to get a good look at it... Its skin is blue, meaning it's a Nightkin and it's wrapped in many chains, as if it'd been restrained until now. Add the many brutal scars displayed across its body and the name 'DOG' written across its chest, Veronica was sure the creature didn't have a choice in its actions against them...
Regardless, this thing had just kicked and potentially killed Afton and Anja... For that, she wouldn't forgive it.
Dean quickly tries to reload his revolver as Dog walks towards him, "DOG NO BE CAGED AGAIN, NO BE HUNGRY! DOG EAT YOU!" the mutant roars as he goes to charge Dean, but is taken off-guard when Veronica appears behind it and viciously uppercuts it in the side, her shotgun fist weapon blowing flesh from its side.
*BANG!*
Despite the force of the attack, it looked only to be a flesh wound... Its skin was much thicker than she'd expected, fortunately, the stopping power of her attack knocks it off balance slightly. "Dog can go fuck itself!" she taunts, raising her fists in a boxer's stance.
Dean glances at her, "I do not think it's a good idea to insult it! You'll just make it angrier!" he says as he reloads and observes the beast regain its balance.
Veronica sneers under her helmet, "How else am I gonna get its attention? Unless you want to do it!?" she says as she runs towards it for round three.
Dean shakes his head and flips the wheel of the revolver back into the gun, "Ah, no, I think you've got it handled."
*BANG!*
Veronica slams her fist towards Dog's head, but it blocks with its arm and she ends up hitting its shoulder instead, blowing a hole into its muscle.
"DOG KILL YOU!" the Mutant roars as it grabs Veronica by the helmet and tries to break her neck. This would have been effective had Afton not taken this particular weakness into consideration.
Veronica deals a number of hits to its stomach in response, blowing yet more flesh from it... By now Dog was looking like a walking wound, but despite that, it continues moving and attacking, as if hadn't been hurt at all.
Dog unloads numerous punches on Veronica and only becomes angrier and more fierce at seeing her not taking any damage at all. He reals back from one of Dean's bullets bouncing off of his forehead and picks up a rock before smashing it into Veronica's head.
The rock smashes into her visor, doing no damage but blocking her vision as the rock turns to dust on impact. She makes a punch for Dog but misses as he's already moved, this time towards Dean.
"Now, now... Be a good Dog and go back to your master..." Dean offers while slowly backing away from the mutant, his gun ready to fire.
Dog growls in response, grabbing his head and thrashing around painfully for a moment, "M-Masters o-orders! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!!!" he screams as both he and Dean unconsciously approach the edge of the roof.
By this time Veronica had managed to dig the dust out of her visor and looks towards Dog, getting an idea... She breaks into a sprint while the creature is undergoing some kind of mental break, her heavy steps causing it to turn around. Dean, realising what was about to happen rapidly gets out of the way.
"This is payback!" she shouts as she crashes into Dog, carrying him for a moment, before finally throwing him off the edge of the building, gifting him with one shotgun punch to the face before it falls into the Cloud below.
She takes a couple of breaths after this, Dean steps beside her while looking down at where Dog had fallen. Both could see shadows in the Cloud, and it was easy to tell who was who due to the agonizing screams Dog was letting out.
Dean chuckles, "I believe this is the Golden Rule? 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.', you sure showed that blue bastard... A shame about your friends though." he offers, doing his best to seem sympathetic, even if his only regret that they wouldn't be able to help him escape the Sierra Madre now.
Veronica shakes her head, "If I know Afton, he's probably still alive down there, or inside the Police Station waiting for us... Trust me, he's survived worse things than this," she states confidently.
Dean shrugs, "Whatever you say. Honestly, I have half a mind to ditch your pretty behind and try find my own way out," he gestures at the collar, "But I suppose trust is a two-way street... Let's head to the Police Station and find your friend, shall we?" he says as Dog'd screams begin petering out, though strangely, they seem more angry than pained.
Veronica nods, "Alright... Got a plan?"
"Hop over the rooftops and climb in through a window, the cells should be on the ground floor and basement, which is a problem considering how many Ghosts are now wandering around." Dean explains.
"Alright... Let's go." she says, drawing her plasma pistol and following Dean as he starts making his way to the Police Station.
Elsewhere :
Elijah scowls at the monitor, he'd been watching the fight between his slave and the group from a streetside camera. He'd thought everyone was going well when the first two had fallen from the roof, but the next thing he knows his former apprentice kicks Dog to his death!
"I won't let years of work go to waste like thisss!" he hisses, quickly thinking over his other countermeasures... Dog was dead, he had no doubt about that, the Cloud was a vicious as it was efficient, and Dog was already wounded when he was kicked inside... But, Dog wasn't necessary for his plans, he only needed someone strong enough to hold the Switches for the Gala event... Perhaps someone in Power armour...?
Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :
ShinAmazake
Chris Lindsey
Kingsprovince
Michael Jarrett
Nazlican Erdem
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