The Lone Courier

Alone. As she looked around at the barren desert around her, with only brush and dirt to keep her company, she realized it then, more then ever before.  She was entirely, completely alone.

But it wasn't the solitary that sent a chill down her spine.  She had always been alone.  Now she was lost.  Lost, without anyone around to help her or to tell her where the nearest town or clean water source could be found.  At least in the Capital, there were signs to direct you, or buildings to sustain you.  But here, there was nothing.  She couldn't even see the top of the Lucky 38 on the horizon any longer.

Hoping for a better view then could be found behind her visor, she slipped off her helmet for the first time in days.  Although she was glad to feel the cool air on her heated face, she still regretted it slightly, as she breath in the dust and radiation.  But it didn't bother her too much.  She had grown accustom to it in her travels as, The Lone Wanderer as Three Dog once called her.

The air was much clearer here, in The Mohave Desert, then it was in The Capital Wasteland.  Although much thicker with dust, it was considerably less irradiated - which her lungs were grateful for.  She could breathe and function much better overall, without the stinging sensation that had, once, constantly plagued her lungs. But she still kept a supply of RadAway with her. Just in case.

Looking around in the desert that seemed to continue forever, there was no sign of civilization to be found.  Only a solemn, passing dust devil, gaining speed and dirt, the farther it went.

"Just fantastic." she muttered under her breath as she settled onto the ground.  

Sitting cross-legged, she pulled her assault rifle from the bag on her back, and laid it in her lap.  The same old bag she had bought from Moira in the Capital, nearly two and a half years ago.  One of the only things she was left with, after Benny shot her in the head.  The bastard not only stripped her of her armor and all her custom made weapons, - which she worked very hard to find the parts for - but he also her package.  The very and only reason she was in the remains of Nevada in the first place.

Checking her clip, she sees that she is nearly out of ammo on this weapon as well.  Out of ammo, low on water, only one Crunchy Mutfruit, completely lost and out of range of Radio New Vegas.  This was shaping up to be the worst weekend ever.

After cursing Radscorpions to the deepest pit of hell, she swore that if she ever found a way back, she'd find a way to drive all Radscorpions to extinction.  Maybe with a sonic emitter, like she did to the Ants when she was helping the Boomers over a Nellis Airforce Base?  After all, it was those monstrous insects that had gotten her in this situation.  

-------

Donna hadn't told her that this particular area on the map, labeled 'Gulch' was actually called 'Radscorpion Gulch', for a very crucial reason.  So she blindly walked through it, obliviously unaware that hordes of Radscorpions were converging upon her.  Luckily, in her years of battling Super Mutants and the occasional Behemoth, she had learned to always come prepared.  But, with that said, she had never seen so many Giant Radscorpions in her life.  

She had already been fighting two hours, and her resolve was weakening as her adrenaline was slowing.  She was fighting three Radscorpions and two Barks, when she heard the familiar sound of quick shifting dirt underneath many legs.  She turned around just in time to dodge the Giant Radscorpion's pinchers as it lunged at her.   She was able to stay out of its grip, but only by inches.  

She managed to shoot it twice with her Flamer, hurting it considerably, but before she could switch to her shotgun, to deal the final blow, it lunged with its stinger.  Desperate to avoid the deadly poison, she lost her footing and slipped.   Immediately, she found herself on the ground, out of breath and her weapon out of reach.  With a flaming Giant Radscorpion on top of her, she managed to dodge the tail, and the stinger burrowed itself into the dirt beside her head.  Before it could attempt to strike a second time, she pulled the knife from her leg holster and drove it as deep into its eyes as possible.  Killing it instantly.

Pushing the 200+ monster off of her, she rushed to her feet in a frenzy, barely escaping the strike of the smaller, but still deadly, scorpions.  Grabbing the shotgun she had dropped during her fall, she rushed out of their tails range and quickly patted down her clothes in a desperate attempt to put out the fire that the Giant had, so gracefully, given to her.  Although her clothes were only left a little charred, and her armor a little black, her map was burned beyond recognition.

But she was in luck; - if you could call it that - she only had to battle another mile, before finally making it out of the appropriately named gulch.  But it cost her.  She lost most of her food and water, Stimpaks, a weapon or two and also her map.

Once she was out of harms way, she recalled from memory, that if she could find the highway, it would lead her right past her destination. The El Dorado Gas & Service Station.

It wasn't long before she found herself in front of the old gas station.  Kind of charming in its deteriorated state.  The windows boarded up and a thick layer of dirt and grime overtopping of the neon green paint, old and worn over the years.  The brown and burned skeletal remains of a car, sitting underneath the tall teal covering.  But all of that was inconsequential.  It was the plastic lean-too, crafted into a makeshift bed and the cold campfire that made her uneasy.  

She couldn't see Brahmin anywhere near, so it probably wasn't a caravan.  
Travelers?  She noticed the Jet lying next to the bed.  Unlikely.  
Logical assumption?  It was Raiders. Or maybe even a gang.  Neither were very friendly.

She couldn't see any gang markings or any mutilated bodies hanging near, so if it was one of these inhospitable groups, this wasn't a place they planned to make a permanent residence.

She stepped silently and carefully around the makeshift camp, not wanting to disturb anything, and made her way to what she assumed was the main door.   Trying to turn the knob, she attempted to open the broken, but enduring, door, but it was to no avail.  At first, she contemplated whether the door was blocked, or had even rotted until it was securely shut, but as she tried the knob again, the familiar rattling sound told her that it was simply locked.

Glancing back in the direction of the Radscorpion Gulch, she knew she had been through too much to be deterred by the possibility of raiders.

Pressing her ear softly to the rough wood, that was boarded against the weakening metal; she listened carefully for any sign of life.  Nothing.  All was silent for the moment.

Crouching, she took her .44 Magnum revolver from its holster and looked to ensure that all six bullets were loaded.  Laying her weapon on the ground, just within reach should it be needed, she took out a bobby pin and screwdriver from the bag that hung on her back.  Skillfully, she inserted them into the lock and moved them around slowly, twisting and applying pressure at the right points.  Prodding the lock, until the familiar sound of the lock clicking open met her ears and left her with a feeling of satisfaction.

Quickly returning them back into her bag, she picked the lethal Magnum up from the dirt and let her hand mold over the wooden handle, made smooth with use.

Staying in her crouched position, should she need to immediately evade or blend into the nearest shadows, she slowly pushed open the door.  Keeping a tight hold on the knob, she managed to creek it open, without making a sound.  She waited a moment; to be sure she wouldn't be bombarded with onslaught of bullets, before peeking inside.  Her eyes darted around the room to find it empty.

Slipping inside and gently closing the door behind her, she surveyed the area.   Confident that there were no hidden ambushers and that she was alone, she straightened up and she slid her Magnum back into her leg holster.

"It's probably inside a register, or behind a box.  Not well hidden, but not in plain sight." Donna had told her.

"How will I recognize it?"

"Oh it's pretty distinct.  You'll know it when you see it."

Remembering Donna's tip, she quietly began her search by breaking the petty locks on the two cash registers, but found that they contained only five dollars worth of Pre-War money.  She then started to look around every toppled isle, behind every display and counter.  The station was small, so it didn't take her long to completely map out every inch of it and discover a bit of ammo and a MedKit on the wall, slightly shielded by a fallen shelf.

To her surprise, it wasn't locked, and as she opened it, there was her goal.  A 'Double Vision' as Donna had called it.  Its structure was the same as a Stimpak, but as Donna had said, it was unmistakable.  Its contents glowed bright green, reminding her of a Nuka Cola Quantum and she wondered if it would have similar side effects.

Grinning contently to herself, she put it with her Stimpaks in her bag and made her way to the door.  As she reached for the knob, the door suddenly burst open, slamming into her and forcing her to stumble back and struggle not to fall.  

She barely had time to regain her balance, before a large blade swung for her head.  She dodged suddenly, nearly sending herself falling back again and managed to avoid the knife.  

As she quickly gained her footing, she noticed two, slightly larger figures standing behind him and knew that he had friends who were probably ready to intervene.  She could back up only slightly before her assailant, lightly armored and sporting a Mohawk, stabbed at her again.

Almost without thinking, she grabbed a hold of his outstretched wrist and quickly twirling, she bent it hard across her back.  A grueling crack sounded through the room as his elbow shattered.  Releasing her hold on his wrist, she quickly grabbed a hold of his shirt and his back, and heaved him at the larger of his two friends, who was already taking aim.  

As the two stumbled to the ground, she quick drew her Magnum and with expert precision, she fired off a round at the third man and a resounding boom not only sounded, but vibrated through the air, letting all in earshot know that she is to be taken seriously, as a vicious recoil raked through her arms.

The impact of the solid round took the head of her attacker clear off, as his body was sent flying backwards.  Two other shots were fired in rapid succession, dealing equal damage.  

Silence slowly fell over the area as the echoes of the gunshots drifted away with the breeze.  

Her revolver still trained on them, she watched closely, the limp forms lying motionless on the ground.  One's arm bent a disturbing direction.  She saw their clothes consisted of strips of bone bundled around the body with strips of leather and noticed the black tattoo of a snake across one of the attacker's bicep and recognized them as Viper Gang members.

She moved her sights to the area around her, to be sure there are no other unexpected guests, and found that they were the only ones here.  She took in a relieved breath as she tried to return her heartbeat to its normal rhythm and force the adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream to calm.  She holstered her revolver and began searching them over.

She scavenged ten bottle caps, assorted ammo and a knife, - which she would use to repair her own - but all else was nothing of value.

Now, to find a way home.  Radscorpion Gulch wasn't an option.  She barely made it out, when she was well prepared, but now that she was low on supplies, she couldn't risk it.  She sighed deeply.  She'd have to find another way, and without a map, it'd be very difficult.  The sun was hanging low in the sky and she knew it would be an endeavor for the next day.  With the makings for a camp fire, at least she would be warm while she slept.

-------

And now here she was.  She wandered for hours, in what she thought was the rough direction of New Vegas, but now she wasn't so sure.  

She glanced at her Pipboy.  Noon.  The hot desert sun already burning her back as she sat cross-legged the dirt.  Thirst beginning to gnaw at her dry throat, hunger starting to leave a sick feeling in her stomach.  She's lost and alone.  

She almost laughed at the insanity of it.  Some things never change.

But suddenly, her absent mind jolted to attention as her eyes caught a glimpse of something.  She froze, like an animal in sudden danger, as her hands tightened instinctively around her assault rifle.  Her eyes darted up in an instant, but they didn't see anything.  There was nothing, but a lone tumbleweed trembling in the light breeze.  But her eyes stayed steady ahead as her body stayed still.  

Just when she was about to scold herself for paranoia, a small flash of white in the corner of her eye brought back her immediate attention.  Her sight leapt to it, but there was nothing there.  Her breathing became a little more deep and a small, nearly unnoticeable shiver skimmed across her skin.  

There it was again.  A shimmer - a reflection of light.  Suddenly she know.  Something was there, that obviously didn't want to be noticed.  Something with a Stealth Boy and the knowledge to use it.

Something was stalking her.