บท 70: The Line

Days trundle on and Afton was beginning to question why he was still with the Powder Gangers. Sure, they'd saved his ass when he was attacked by a deathclaw, but the way they operate and act just didn't sit right with him.

The only reason he was still here was due to Karl, he respected the man, not just for his morals, but his skill as well. Afton didn't doubt that he was one of the best fighters in the whole facility, even Scrambler seemed to be wary of him.

Not everything was sunshine and rainbows though, he and Karl hadn't seen hide nor hair of Tommy or the others for a while now. Previously they thought the guys had just left for some miscellaneous things, but now even Eddie was starting to ask questions.

Afton knew whatever they were doing couldn't be good... A few days later after Eddie's initial inquiry, he basically ordered him and Karl to bring them back to see what they were doing. Their efficiency when dealing with Chavez and relationship with the group meant that they were the most suited to dealing with them.

Afton couldn't help but feel this would only end in another shootout, though, he could see that Karl didn't care much if events went that way. Atleast he didn't come away empty-handed when he was called to speak with Eddie about the plan... He wondered if the chem'd up man would notice his Lying, Congressional Style skill book had gone missing.

The book had vanished into ash-like particles when he'd touched it, so it'd be almost impossible to pin its theft on him.

Just before he and Karl were about to leave to look for Tommy and the others, he checked his Pipboy to see if there were any quests on it. And, as it might happen, it does.

[Retrieve Tommy's Gang]

...

Tommy's gang? So he had ditched them and gone off to do his own thing... He glances at Karl with a pensive look, "Chances this'll be another firefight?" he questions.

Karl shrugs, "A coin toss, whether or not we fire first will depend on how Tommy's been conductin' himself." he states, getting a small nod from Afton.

The duo head out yet again, though this time they didn't have an accurate idea of where they'd be going... Instead just wandering around the general area where Tommy was thought to be in. They run across a pack or two of molerats, but they're easily dispatched by the duo. Neither wanted to try eating them so they just left the corpses for other creatures to feast on.

Two days after they'd left the NCRCF they noticed a small plume of black smoke over in the distance, the setting sun turning the sky orange and making it incredibly easy to spot... Whoever it was either wanted to be discovered or didn't know any better.

"Tommy?" Afton stated in slight exasperation.

"Tommy." Karl nodded in confirmation as if he had a sixth sense.

They started heading over, making sure not to get spotted by whoever was causing the smoke, Afton touched the two guns resting at his hip, the well-maintained Laser pistol and .357 Revolver were already loaded and ready for use.

Afton had done some practice with dual-wielding them with VATS activated, both were apparently treated as independent weapons, neither losing accuracy but both requiring action points to fire. This essentially doubled his fire rate at the cost of action points.

The sun had almost set when they came across the destroyed caravan, Tommy, Reggie, Louis, and Blank were standing around idly. The dead pack brahmin had already been looted and a few bodies could be seen strewn about the place. Though, they'd have to get closer to see the condition of them.

Afton sighs, "Well, hopefully it was an NCR caravan... Gotta plan?" he asks the old man.

Karl slowly nods, "I think we are owed an explanation, we'll approach from the south, see that boulder there? That'll be our cover is shit hits the fan... Let's try get through this in one piece, I doubt we'll all be leaving this alive." he says ominously as they circle around to approach the group from the south.

They pass the boulder Karl wanted to use as cover just as the others spot them.

"Hold up, Karl? Afton?" he shouts, grabbing the others attention.

The duo stop and Karl nods, "Yee-ep, didn't think to invite us along?" he questions.

Tommy, Louis, and Blank walk up, the former scowling at them, "What good are a couple of squares out here? You wouldn't like how I operate Karl, you best just be leavin'." he threatens.

Afton's nose twitches as the smell of blood, and he gets a glimpse of a small figure lying in the sand. It seems Karl noticed this as well... He walks past Tommy, pushing his shoulder away as he slowly walks towards the corpses.

Afton could see Karls hands gripped so tight that they were turning white, he walked over to see what the problem was and almost immediately started going red with indignant fury.

There, laying almost peacefully in the sand was the body of a child. It was difficult to see their gender due to the bullet holes littering their head, but judging by the long hair it'd been a young girl. Nearby was a male corpse, it had more bullet wounds than the child and was somehow still gripping their shotgun, even in death.

Lastly... Was the body of a woman, apparently, Tommy and the others had decided to have their fun with them before they shot her. There were no NCR uniforms in sight, and the presence of a child meant that his was definitely not an NCR caravan.

Afton was about to turn to see what Karl wanted to do when, *BANG!*.

Karl's .44 Magnum went off and struck Louis in the chest as he ran up and pistol-whipped Reggie in the face. His expression was almost scary, the rage he was displaying now almost had Afton take a step back, though, when he remembered that bullets would start flying he activated VATS.