บท 123: Your wife getting Boone'd
Afton walked up the stairs and opened the door leading to the mouth of the dinosaur. As he does so the person watching over the town jolts in surprise and quickly turns around. They were wearing jeans with a dirty white t-shirt and a red beret that has a bear skull backed by rifles on it, as well as the phrase "The last thing you never see" written.
The man himself had a cold yet stern look, even though he was apparently surprised by Afton's sudden appearance his expression hadn't even twitched... "Goddamnit! Don't sneak up on me like that."
Afton raises a brow at them and keeps an eye on the man's hunting rifle, "What did you want me to do? Knock on the door as if you were taking a shit?"
...
The man just shakes his head after failing to come up with a response, "What do you want?"
Afton holds out his hand, "To thank you for watching my back yesterday, Powder Ganger apparently wanted revenge for what I did to them."
The man looks down at his hand silently, Afton was starting to feel as if he was being treated like a leper, but decided to persevere regardless.
Eventually his awkward persistence won out and both of them shook hands. "Don't... Don't worry about it. Was getting bored sat up here anyway, the added target practise was interesting at least." he states.
"I'm Afton by the way, though most people in the town know that by now." he mutters, he must've met everyone by now while he was treating patients.
"Craig Boone. People just call me Boone though. Is that all?" he asks, apparently wanting to get back to keeping watch.
Afton shrugs, "I guess, just wanted to thank you for your help. If you need anything let me know within a couple weeks, me and my partner will be gone by then." he says, going to step back into the stairway.
...
"Wait." Boone calls out after a moment of contemplation. "I could use your help."
Afton closes the door and gives him in an inquiring look, he hadn't expected the man to actually need something, it was more of a common courtesy...
"You're new around here, haven't become too close with anyone yet... I need someone not from here to investigate something for me."
"Depends on what it is." Afton says, not wishing to agree to anything until he's heard about it first.
"My wife. She was taken by the Legion." he states, causing Afton's face to harden, he'd heard more than enough to know that this story would only end in tragedy. "They came during the night, through a specific route that just so happened to be empty on that day. They knew when I would be on break and chose that moment to come... By the time I knew she was gone, they were already halfway to Cottonwood Cove."
Afton places a hand on bones shoulder, "Me and Karl were already planning to try and take back someone from the Legion, getting you wife as well wouldn't add too much difficulty." he reassures.
Boone shakes his head and knocks Afton's hand off of his shoulder, "That's not possible. I followed them to Cottonwood Cove and assassinated her before she could suffer." he states coldly, the eyes behind his sunglasses looking like chips of ice.
...
Afton hadn't expected that, it was pragmatic if anything, but he didn't think he'd personally be able to do something like that if it called for it. If Veronica or Christine were in the same situation, could he actually do that?... No. He'd find some way to save them or die trying.
"Then, what do you need me for?"
"I want you to find the bastard who sold her. It was clear they had inside information, the Legion is known for their brutality and would jump at the chance to take something from an ex-ranger. Fear, pain, and despair are powerful weapons."
"Wouldn't whoever sold your wife have left by now? Sticking around a town in which you'd committed such a despicable crime wouldn't be a wise decision."
Boone shakes his head, "Whoever did it knew the town well, and the only people who'd entered or left the town at that town were traders. They needed to know my wife personally as well to know her habits, which bring down the number of suspects."
"I want to help, not just for you, but because I want to personally skin whoever did it."
"No. Whoever it is they're mine." he states.
Afton nod with a sigh, "Who do you think did it anyway? It'd help if I knew where to start."
"I'd rather not say, but... I think I was Manny Vargas."
"Him? Didn't take the guy as someone who'd do that." Afton admits, he knew the man briefly as he'd gotten bitten by a snake and needed anti-venom.
Boone shakes his head, "I didn't either, but when I told him that Carla had gone missing he... He looked happy, satisfied. The two never saw eye to eye and bickered whenever they spoke, but I didn't think it was that bad..."
Afton scowls "Wait, you told him that your wife had been taken by the Legion and he looked happy about it? Judging by the matching Barets you and him sport, he knows what they do to slaves right?"
Boone nods, "He knows. And he was happy about it. We used to be best friends, coming from the same unit in 1st Recon. The only reason I haven't killed him yet is because I'm not sure if he did it... He'd know better to show his true feelings if he'd actually sold Carla."
"I'll start looking around them, no need for pay... Consider this a favour for your help last night. Even then, I'd do this job for free anyway."
"For what it's worth, thanks."
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Niggross
Niggross Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know.
บท 124: Best Friend?
After Afton had spoken with Boone, he left to find Karl and let him know of the job he'd taken up. The former-ranger had no problems with joining the search for the bastard, probably due to this hitting too close to him. He and Boone had a lot of similarities, the only difference being that Karl was less pragmatic in his choice. Choosing to charge straight into a heavily fortified Legion encampment to save his daughter, as opposed to Boone just ending his wife's suffering.
Afton didn't really think either choice was an incorrect one, both just weren't strong enough to save their loved ones and had to settle for different horrible outcomes. But, hopefully that would change soon.
Regardless, Afton began asking around about Boone, his maxed out Speech skill allowing him to control the conversation and lead it towards his wife. He did this for a number of reasons, the first being that if the perpetrator heard that he was asking around about Boone's wife then they'd either hunker down and make it more difficult to catch them, or flee. Both of which would make it terribly annoying to find them.
The second reason he did this was so that if he was talking to the perpetrator, they wouldn't immediately be on the defensive. Afton would throw in a few negative statements about Carla as bait to see who didn't view her in a good light.
Of course, he'd take a hit to his reputation for it as talking ill of the dead wasn't considered polite, but he'd probably get it back once they executed whoever sold Carla.
Eventually, he somehow found himself in Ranger Andy's house. The man has injured his knee while falling down some stairs. He was the unofficial sheriff of these parts and his recent absence would explain why Ada could start operating with impunity.
He didn't know much but thought Carla was a sweet girl, she'd apparently helped him out a few times due to him getting on in years. Occasionally bringing him snacks while he was on patrol.
Afton couldn't help but feel sorry for her the more he learned, she sounded like a kind person, if a bit confrontational. Most people felt the same, it was only really Manny and a few of his friends that seemed to dislike her. His conversation with the man hadn't gone all that well if he were honest with himself...
*Flashback*
Manny was sitting in the sun on an old-looking lawnchair, a sunset sasparilla in his hands as he relaxed in the sunlight. The man raised his head as he heard someone sit next to him, spotting the new doctor in town pulling up another chair next to him. "Did you need something Doc?"
Afton shakes his head, "Yeah, I've been looking to talk to you about Boone. He saved my life last night after a Powder Ganger ambushed me, looking for some way to repay him." he states.
Manny snorts at this, "Repay him? I'm sure he won't give a shit either way, guy wouldn't know gratitude if it bit him on the ass."
"What do you mean?"
"I served with Boone for many years in the NCR 1st Recon division. We've been through a lot together, and have saved each other's hides more times than I can count... I don't know who owes who what, but I know that you shouldn't throw your buddies away like trash."
"Hm, did he do that to you?" Afton questions.
Manny nods, "Yeah, things haven't been the same since his bitch wife got kidnapped. Know the saying? Bro's before hoe's? Don't think loyalty means much to him since I've got a cock." he spits.
Afton inwardly smirks to himself, "His wife got kidnapped?"
"Yeah, Legion got her apparently... Don't know how they snuck past everyone and knew when Boone'd be on break, but I don't care too much to find out. If you ask me, bitch had it coming."
Afton scratches his chin pensively, it didn't sound like the man had been involved... Usually a liar would try to distance themselves from the crime as much as possible, but Manny didn't seem to care about it, he literally admitted he was glad she got kidnapped, something the person responsible wouldn't likely do.
"From what I've heard about Carla, she seems to have been a loudmouth. Would've liked to get a kick in myself before she got nabbed." Afton states.
Manny chuckles, "Same..." he breathes a long drawn out sigh, "If you ever find who did it, send them my regards."
...
Afton glances at him warily in surprise, "What?"
"You think I wouldn't notice what you're doing around here? Before I joined the 1st Recon I had a psyche evaluation... You talk and act exactly how that guy had, like you were picking my brains for some untold secrets. I don't know what Boone's giving you to do this, but... I feel bad for how I reacted when Boone told me. Not because I give a shit about Carla, but because of how I hurt my best friend."
Afton scowls, "Best friend? If he was your best friend you wouldn't be happy that his wife got taken. As far as I'm concerned, you're just a selfish asshole who got upset his buddy preferred his woman's company. I can see why too... The only reason I haven't capped your ass if because you're some of the only security Novac has." he states before getting up and walking away.
He'd said his piece, the jig was up, his deception had been discovered so he felt no need to hide his true feelings on the matter. From what he could tell, Manny hadn't been responsible for Boone's wife being taken. Not just because of how he had acted, or what he'd said, but because his Perk [Spies Guise] hadn't triggered. He imagined that it would at least activate if the man had something to hide... He'd have to start looking elsewhere for the culprit.
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Niggross
Niggross
Yeah, it wasn't really explored much in the game, but Manny was a giant asshole... I mean, who's happy that their friends wife gets taken by a group who'll likely rape, torture, and enslave her. That's a big douche bag in my book, almost deserving a bullet to the brain if he wasn't actively being useful.
Hope you like the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
If you like my content or want to read ahead please go to https://www.p.atreon.com/Nagross, I'd appreciate it.
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