Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope that you are all doing well, especially with the virus going around. I know that it stinks having our daily lives interrupted like this (although I still have to go to work, being considered essential), but eventually this will pass, and things will go back to some semblance of normal. For now, we just need to grin and bear it. Hopefully this makes your day a bit better. Enjoy, and reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

The Brotherhood members, the Rangers, and John were all gathered in the Penthouse office for the briefing. Everyone there (sans John), had spent the morning in the gym, as well as exploring the remainder of the building. The only place that they hadn't seen until now was the Penthouse, which had been inaccessible to the rest of them until a few minutes ago. When Sarah asked Amata about this, Amata said that Mark had blocked off access to it so he could prepare for the briefing.

Securitrons had eventually been dispatched to track them all down and directed them to the Penthouse. As they all came in, they looked around, taking everything in. Scribe Yearling had spotted a bookcase full of books that looked to be in excellent condition that she had to restrain herself from running over to.

"Franklin's got it made here, huh Sentinel?" Tristan asked Sarah. "Yeah, he sure does," Sarah answered. "Never slept as well as I did last night, and I'm pretty sure that Rothchild would lose his mind if he saw all the technology around here." Tristan chuckled. "I have no doubt on that, Sentinel."

Sarah then looked around, seeing that man that Mark said was that Cass woman's father standing away from the others, staring off into space. She was curious about him, as from what she gathered, he was a recent arrival, whilst his daughter seemed to have been here for a while. "Excuse me, Mr. Cassidy?" she said. John snapped out of his trance and looked over at her. "It's John. Something I can help you with, Ms. Lyons?" he asked.

"Uh, call me Sarah. I was just wondering why it seems that you just got here while your daughter appears to have been here for quite some time." John crossed his arms over his chest. "Look, Sarah, no offense, but it's none of your business. That's between me and my daughter. Oh, and the kid."

Sarah held up her hands in a placating manner. "My apologies, John. I meant no malice. I was just curious." She looked around the room. "Speaking of Mark, have you seen him? I assumed that he would have met us here." John grinned. "Oh, he's here. Has been the whole time." Sarah looked at him in confusion. John then raised his voice, getting the attention of everyone else. "Show yourself, kid."

Everyone then heard barking laughter, seemingly coming from nowhere. "Good call, John. Up here everyone." Mark suddenly appeared on top of the large monitor (which was blank), wearing the suit, sitting with his legs dangling over the edge. Sarah looked at John and raised an eyebrow. "Did you know that he was up there the whole time?"

"I knew he was in here, but it's not like we got together and planned for him to reveal himself like he just did. When you live for as long as I have, you pick up a few things." "Yeah, and he's pretty damn old, Sarah," Mark said, grinning at John. John grinned back. "Watch your mouth, kid. I'm not too old to whoop your butt." They both laughed at that.

Mark then directed his attention back to everyone. "Sorry about that. Just wanted to see your reactions. Anyway, good morning, everyone. I hope that the accommodations were to everyone's liking?" He was answered with nods and short verbal confirmations. "Good. I'd have put mints on your pillows, but there seems to be a shortage of those right now." Mark laughed at their confused faces and waved it off. "Never mind. It was just a joke."

"So first, and I probably should've said this last night, sorry for threatening to blow you guys up. I just couldn't risk the city coming under attack by unknown forces." "It's fine, Mark," Sarah said. "You were just doing what you had to do to keep everyone safe, and it's not like you knew we were coming. We all probably would've done the same thing."

"Thank you. Alright, so the file has basic information on what's going on out here, but there's a lot more that you need to know, and not just about the NCR and Legion. You need to know about the people living here. You need to know about the Strip and surrounding areas. About the various other factions that operate in the area. Some of what I'm going to say has already been said in the file, and last night, but it's going to get repeated so you can get the full context of things. Before we start, however, there are a couple others that you need to meet." He knocked twice on the top of the monitor.

At that, the cartoonish face of Yes Man appeared, startling a few people in the group. "This is Yes Man, the artificial intelligence that was mentioned in the file. He makes sure that the city is running smoothly, among other things. Yes Man, these are some friends of mine from DC, well, except for the old guy over there. Say hello." "Hi everyone! Boy, it sure is nice to meet you all!" the AI said in his normal cheery voice. "How he came to be here will be explained shortly."

"I would also like to introduce the AI for this suit, the Mobile Autonomous Robotic Interface, or "MARI" for short." "Greetings, everyone," MARI said. "Mark, uh, isn't it dangerous to leave an AI in control of the city? You know what happened with Eden," Sarah said, looking concerned. "He's nothing like Eden, Sarah. He only does what he's told to do. The only time that he acts on his own is if either the city, myself, or one of my friends is in imminent danger and no one can be reached. It is part of his programming."

Sarah still looked pensive but nodded. "Ok, so you know from the file that I was chosen by my friends to be in charge of the city, although they are acting as my council, because as I told them, I have no desire to be a dictator. There is only one person outside of my council who could've given McNamara that information, and if they weren't already banned from the Strip, they would've been now, but that's neither here nor there."

"What's not in the file is how I got to this point, and that's because they don't know the whole story. It all started with this." He opened his left hand, revealing the Platinum Chip. He held it up for everyone to see. "This is the Platinum Chip. Much more than the oversized poker chip that it appears to be."

"Shortly after Amata and I came out here and got settled in Goodsprings, I took a job as a courier for the Mojave Express, which is a delivery service. It was more to get the lay of the land then it was for the money. My latest delivery was to deliver the chip to New Vegas. I took it back to Goodsprings to tell Amata, which, coincidentally is when she told me that she was pregnant."

"Later that night, after we told the townsfolk about her pregnancy and celebrated, I took off to make the delivery. I believe that I was just outside the town when I was ambushed and knocked unconscious. Next thing that I knew, I was bound and gagged in the cemetery that overlooked the town, with this man, along with a couple mercs, staring me in the face." The screen switched to a photo of Benny.

That drew some laughs. "That's a tacky-ass suit," Donovan quipped. "Yeah. His name was Benny. He used to run the Tops, a casino across the street. It turns out he had taken the chip, and then proceeded to shoot me twice in the head and left me to die in a shallow grave." Multiple eyes widened at this. "Christ, kid, how the hell are you still alive?" John asked.

Mark half-smiled. "I'm just hard-headed I guess," he said. He then continued. "Fortunately, I was dug up and brought to the town doctor who was able to save me, obviously. Left me in a coma for about a week, though. Worried Amata to death. A few days after I woke up, Amata and I decided to track him down." "Wait, why the hell would you even bother? You were alive. Wasn't that good enough?" Reilly asked.

He shrugged. "I had a delivery to complete." 'Not to mention the unclear message from my parents from beyond the grave,' he thought. "So yes, we went after him. Amata would only let me go if she came with me. We had to take a roundabout way, since the most direct route passes by a deathclaw nest. Yes, there are deathclaws out here. Along the way, we liberated a town from criminal control, met the Legion's top spy, and saved one of the guys who was with Benny when he shot me. It was also during this that we met ED-E, Cass, Boone, and Veronica."

"The guy I saved informed us that Benny was most likely back at the Tops, so we came here, and using some subterfuge, we infiltrated the Tops, where I found and killed Benny as well as finding the chip. This is where I met Yes Man, who was originally a Securitron that Benny had reprogrammed to monitor Mr. House's data transmissions. Benny wanted to kill Mr. House and then install Yes Man on the Lucky 38's network using the chip, and then Yes Man would do whatever Benny told him to."

"After I found the chip, we headed over to the Lucky 38 where I met Robert House for the first time." The screen now showed Mr. House as he had appeared to Mark. "This is Robert Edwin House, certified genius, and founder of RobCo. Yes, he was alive before the war. In 2065, he had run a bunch of mathematical simulations that told him that the world would be engulfed in nuclear war within two decades from that point. He set up multiple defenses, including roof-mounted laser cannons."

"He also set up machines to artificially extend his life, using a cerebral interface to control everything. If anyone is interested in seeing the machines he used, they're past that wall over there and down an elevator." He saw a few curious faces. "He commissioned the chip to be built to upgrade the operating system that he ran on. It was built in a town in California called Sunnyvale and was to be delivered on October 24th, 2077. Of course, the bombs fell on the 23rd, so it obviously never got delivered."

"He used the roof-mounted laser cannons and satellite systems to destroy and disarm the bombs, respectively. Well, the bombs headed for Vegas, that is. He wasn't overly concerned with the rest of the country. In the years since the war, he had multiple system crashes, and was in a coma for a few decades at one point. Eventually, his Securitrons detected true civilization returning in the form of the New California Republic, or NCR for short, scouting out Hoover Dam. He then contacted tribes that were living in the area to help reopen the Strip, and the three tribes that accepted were each given a casino to operate. They are known as the "Three Families." I'll get more into them later."

"According to House's records, in 2272 NCR leadership ordered Hoover Dam to be occupied and brought back on-line. When the NCR contingent arrived, however, they found that a large number of Securitrons, as well as the tribals that would become the Three Families were already occupying it. While the NCR could have attempted a forceful takeover of both the dam and New Vegas, they already had the Legion breathing down their necks, and a war with House would have left them exposed."

"In the end, they signed what is know as the "New Vegas Treaty." It, among other things, gave operational control of Hoover Dam to the NCR. Ninety-five percent of the power and water produced gets sent back to the NCR, while five percent comes to the Strip, which is more than enough for the Strip's needs. It also forced the NCR to recognize House's sovereignty over the Strip. There's a lot of other stuff in the treaty, but I'm not going to cover all of it. If you wish to peruse it, it will be made available to you."

Sarah turned to Yearling. "Scribe Yearling, when we're done here, you are to go over that treaty with a fine-tooth comb and summarize everything for me. Understood?" Yearling nodded. "Understood, Sentinel," she answered.

"Alright, so getting back to more recent events, House eventually hired scavengers to look through the ruins of Sunnyvale to find the chip. It was found, and then House contracted the Mojave Express to transport it to him. He hired six couriers, five of which would be carrying novelty junk items as a diversion. It was just my luck that I was carrying the only item that was worth anything."

"Once I brought it to him, he offered me a job and a place to live. Amata and my friends were allowed to stay as well. I accepted, mainly because I knew Amata would be safe here. That, and she deserves the best of everything. Pay was pretty good, too. So I did some stuff for him, but eventually things started to go south. First, he threatened to harm Amata and Abby because I didn't get something done in a timely manner. Then he wanted me to destroy the local Brotherhood chapter."

That got some gasps. "Yeah. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Using some personal tasks as a cover, I got everyone out of the 38 and to the headquarters of an allied group. We got the tasks done, and while everyone stayed behind, I came back here and killed him. I installed Yes Man on the 38's network, which, ironically, was Benny's whole plan in the first place. Shortly thereafter, it was decided that I would run the city. That's how we came to be here."

"And here I was thinking that you came out here for peace and quiet," Sarah said. "Yeah," Mark said, "so did I, but we rarely get what we want, so…" He trailed off and shook his head. "So, next on the agenda is the Strip itself. To get in the normal way, you have to go through the front gate, which is guarded by Securitrons. Normally, you must pass a credit check, proving that you are carrying at least two thousand bottlecaps, or have a passport. You can also get in if you are brought in by me or one of my friends."

"There are four casinos on the Strip, three of them functioning. The 38 is currently closed to the public, and as of right now there are no plans to reopen it. As I said earlier, House got three tribes to help operate the others, becoming the Three Families. He gave them new clothes and had them adopt new personas to fit in with each casino's theme. First, across the street is Gomorrah." The picture switched to an outside shot of the casino. "This casino is pretty low-brow. The people that run it, called the Omertas, imitate pre-war mobsters, whom, according House, once had a strong influence in then-Las Vegas."

"It is currently run by this man. His name is Cachino. This is the only casino to offer services of a more, uh, carnal nature. While the choice is ultimately your own, I would advise that you avoid using those services, as the prostitutes are rumored to be diseased." There were a few grimaces at that.

"Next, is the Ultra-Luxe, which is down near the end of the street. This is a high-class casino. Think Tenpenny Tower, but with gambling. The family that runs it are called the "White Glove Society." It is run by this woman, named Marjorie. This particular casino is currently closed due to structural problems that are being fixed." There was no way that he was telling them about the cannibalism.

"The last casino is the Tops, which is next to Gomorrah. It's in the middle of the other two atmosphere-wise. They're more laid-back, is probably the best way that I can describe it. This family are called "The Chairmen." As I said earlier, Benny used to be in charge, but it is now run by a man named Swank."

"As for what else is on the Strip, right next door to us is the Las Vegas Boulevard Station. It is a monorail station that runs from the Strip to Camp McCarran, formerly known as McCarran International Airport. The NCR was granted the use of McCarran as a base under the terms of the New Vegas Treaty. The monorail can only be used by military personnel or NCR VIP's." "Let me guess, you're one of those VIP's?" Reilly asked. Mark grinned. "Of course. I am the Courier, as well as Robert House's right-hand man. Why wouldn't I be?" He said in a fake superior tone.

That got some laughs. "Alright, um, down at the end of the street is the NCR Embassy. The current Ambassador is this man. His name is Dennis Crocker. Stepping onto the Embassy grounds puts you in NCR territory. Please do not go there and do anything that might be viewed as illegal, as they can and will put you in jail. While I could throw my weight around and get you out, that would involve paperwork, and me dealing with people that I don't want to deal with if I can help it. Understood?" After getting confirmation, he moved on.

"Next is the Vault 21 Hotel and Gift Shop. As the name suggests, it is a vault that now functions as a hotel…and gift shop. When House was renovating the Strip, he wanted to evict the residents, but they refused, so they gambled on it, which is how the residents of that vault solved their problems. The residents lost, so House stripped out all the useful electronics, and planned on filling the entire thing with concrete. However, a couple residents managed to convince him to leave the topmost levels intact and let it operate as a hotel, which House agreed to."

"One of those residents was this woman, who is now the manager." Sarah's picture came up on screen. "Her name is Sarah Weintraub." He saw a few of the men give her some appreciative looks. He filed that away for another time. "I recently discovered that Ms. Weintraub happens to be my sister. Well, half-sister, if you want to get technical. And no, I will not expand on that, as it is personal. Let's just say that I have irrefutable proof that she is indeed my sister."

Before anyone could respond, he continued. "Finally, we have Michael Angelo's Workshop. They either created or repaired most of the signs that you see on the Strip. It is run by a man called Michael Angelo. However, his real name is Sheldon Weintraub, and yes, he is Sarah's brother. Oh, wait, uh, hang on one second."

He went to his pip-boy. "Yes Man, at some point today gather any art books in this place and put them in a bag. I need to bring those over to Sheldon." "As you wish, sir," the AI responded. He then looked back at everyone. "Sorry about that. I promised him some stuff a while ago. Um, where was I? Oh, right, so the Strip is jointly policed by the Securitrons and NCR Military Police. The Securitrons deal with any civilians that visit, while the NCR MP's deal with the NCR troopers who visit."

"Per the terms of the treaty, the NCR cannot prohibit its citizens from coming to the Strip, nor can they limit access to only certain people. Also, NCR military personnel are prohibited from carrying firearms whilst on the Strip. Um, all of the casinos are weapon-free, except for the employees, so they will take your weapons upon entrance, and they will be returned upon your exit."

He rubbed his eyes. "Next, I'm going to give you a bit of background on the people that live here. First, there's me." The screen switched over to a picture of himself, giving a big toothy grin and a double thumbs up. "As I said earlier, I acquired a new nickname, "The Courier," because apparently I can't get away from those damn nicknames." "New nickname, kid?" John asked. "Uh, yeah, I'll explain later, John. It's a long story." John nodded.

"So, yeah, I've been leading this group of, well, misfits, I guess. We really don't have a name, although I have been thinking of a few possibilities. Um, Veronica and Cass occasionally call me "Captain," which I'm seriously considering formally adopting (although he was already technically a Captain) when dealing with outside groups." "So, another title for the list then, huh?" Reilly said.

Mark chuckled. "Yeah, that's, I think, eight titles now, although I would consider the titles of husband and father to be the most important among those. No offense to you guys, of course." "None taken, Mark," Sarah said after sharing a look with Reilly. "That just means that you've got your priorities in order."

"Alright, so next is my wife, Amata Franklin, formerly Almodovar. For those that don't know, I grew up with her in Vault 101. She means the world to me, so if you don't treat her with respect, we're going to have some issues. As I said last night, she's pregnant, so be careful around her with your words and weapons."

"Next is my adopted daughter Abby. Her full name is Abigail Celeste Fields-Franklin. As to how she came to be here, well-" he paused, getting choked up a bit "-she and her birth parents lived in a small shack to the northeast of here. Raiders invaded their home, and while she and her mother hid, her father tried to get the raiders to leave, but they killed him."

"They looted the place, and then set it on fire. Abby and her mother tried to get out, but the shack collapsed and crushed her mother, who died shortly afterwards. Abby was able to escape unharmed. Amata found her near here a few days later and made the decision to adopt her. I was out of town at the time, so as you can imagine, it was a bit of a shock to discover that I was a father long before I expected to become one." He chuckled. "I actually fainted when Amata first told me who she was."

Mark could see tears on some faces. "Damn good thing you and Amata did for that kid, Franklin," Kodiak said, wiping away some tears. "She's lucky to have you as a dad." "Thanks, Kodiak, but honestly, I'm the lucky one. I love her so much, and I can't imagine my life without her in it anymore." He paused. "So, yeah, do not bring it up with her, unless she wants to talk about it. My other friends were told this as well. It's still a touchy subject for all involved. Also, we're training her how to shoot. She is only allowed to shoot a BB gun and a pistol right now, and she can only use a pistol if she has supervision, so don't let her try to convince you otherwise."

"Moving on, we have Rose of Sharon Cassidy, aka Cass. She is a former caravanner whose caravan was destroyed due to some shady dealings by two other parties. That situation has been dealt with. Her weapon of choice is a shotgun, and her drink of choice is whiskey, which she drinks quite often."

The picture switched. "Veronica Renata Santangelo. Former Brotherhood Scribe. She decided to leave due to disagreements with Elder McNamara over the future of the chapter. She primarily uses a power fist and prefers hand-to-hand combat. She's also a lesbian, so guys, don't hit on her, because she isn't interested. And ladies, I think that she's seeing someone right now."

"You don't know for sure, Mark?" Sarah asked. Mark grinned at her. "Why, you interested, Sarah?" Sarah blushed as the others laughed. "No, Sarah, I don't know for sure if she is seeing anyone. It's none of my business unless she wants to bring them to live here."

"So next is Craig Boone. He is a former NCR trooper, a member of their elite sniper unit, dubbed "First Recon." He could probably give Dusk and Colvin a run for their money." "I doubt that," Dusk said dismissively. "Next is Christina Morales. She is a more recent addition. She is a former NCR trooper as well, except that she deserted the army and defected to New Vegas for reasons that I am not going to get into now. Those reasons have to do with me and are not relevant to this discussion." Amata had informed him of Christina overhearing General Oliver plotting to have him killed. He would be heading up to the ship at some point to hear it with his own ears.

"This is ED-E, and as I said last night, his is an Enclave eyebot. Found him broken and fixed him up. He's really attached to Abby, so all he does these days is follow her around and play music for her when she wants." "And you're not worried about him going berserk on you?" Donovan asked. "Nope. Yes Man scanned him for any malicious programming, of which there was none. All that was on him were some audio logs and some Poseidon Energy data. Interestingly enough, according to those audio logs, he originated from Adams."

"Next is Skye. She is a cyberdog. Part robot, part dog. I found her while I was out of town recently. Finally, there is this man. His name is Arcade Israel Gannon. He is away at the moment. He is a doctor, and a member of the Followers of the Apocalypse, which I will explain more about later. Also, he is gay, so it's the opposite of what I said earlier about Veronica, except I don't think that he's seeing anyone."

He paused. This next part was going to get interesting. "I also recently learned that his parents were members of the Enclave." That statement was met with silence for a couple moments, followed by nearly everyone yelling (John, Tristan, and Reilly being the exceptions), asking why he let Enclave into the building or as to why Arcade wasn't dead yet, among other things. Mark let out a sigh. He had expected this. "Yes Man, do it." A very loud airhorn noise played, silencing everyone as they covered their ears.

"You all done? Apparently, most of you need your hearing checked, because I said that his parents were Enclave. He's not." "Does it matter? He's guilty by association as far as I'm concerned," Dusk said angrily. "That's enough, Dusk," Tristan said, facing the woman. "But-" "I said that's enough!" Dusk fumed but remained silent.

"Thank you, Paladin," Mark said. "Look, I get that most of you are angry. When I found out, I went ballistic and assaulted him. I let my anger blind me to the fact that he pretty much believes in everything opposite to the Enclave's ideals. Plus, if what Amata told me is correct, and I have no reason to doubt her, Arcade doesn't even blame me for my reaction because he knows how I feel about them."

"I do blame myself, however, and Amata reamed me out for attacking him. She also pointed out that the Enclave is gone, and that I have other things that I need to worry about. The guy has been nothing but nice since he's been here. More importantly, though, is that he's monitoring Amata and the baby, making sure that both are healthy. And with Abby in the picture as well, it's nice to have a trained doctor right down the hall. Look, just talk to the guy, get to know him. You'll see what the rest of us see."

"Moving on. Right next to the Strip is an area called Freeside. It is a poorer area, mainly run by a group called "The Kings." They are run by this man, who calls himself "The King," who is a good friend. Their whole persona is based off a pre-war singer named Elvis Presley, which they adopted after discovering a building that was dedicated to imitating him, since he was apparently uber-popular. That building, The Kings School of Impersonation, is their HQ."

"They've had some issues with the NCR military encroaching on Freeside, as well as issues with NCR citizens who are stuck in Freeside due to losing all their caps at the casinos. Although, while I was away for the past couple days, Amata negotiated a peace treaty between both groups, so I'm hoping that things in Freeside will improve in the future."

"Next is the Followers of the Apocalypse, who also have a presence in Freeside." Their symbol appeared on screen. "I know the name sounds a bit cult-ish, but they are actually a mostly non-violent humanitarian organization. From what Arcade told me, the name came from the fact that the apocalypse happened, and they are what followed. They are headquartered in the former Los Angeles Public Library, where apparently a large amount books and databases survived." He looked at Yearling, who looked to be salivating at the though of all those books.

"Their mission is like the Brotherhood's: they aim to prevent the Great War from happening again. The difference is that the Followers do that through the free sharing of knowledge, by showing people the path that led to the war so that they can avoid it. They are also proponents of the sharing of basic necessities, such as food, water, and medicine, and go where they are needed to help. Once upon a time they were allied with the NCR but broke away when they felt that the NCR was becoming too imperialistic."

"Locally, they operate out of the Old Mormon Fort, and are led by a woman named Julie Farkas." Julie's picture came up. "Huh. That is an interesting hairdo," John said. Mark continued. "She is a friend as well. Through various means, I have been ensuring that they get adequate funding and supplies. They do have a few guards, but the Kings also keep an eye on them since they help patch up their members."

"Um, next, caps are accepted out here as I stated earlier. In addition, there are two other forms of payment that are accepted as well." The screen now showed an NCR $1 bill on the group's left, and an Legion Aureus and Denarius on their right. "On your left is an NCR note. The NCR is attempting to bring back paper money, like they used before the war. They come in denominations of "$1, $5, $20, $100, and $500."

"The money used to be backed with gold, but numerous conflicts with the Brotherhood out here destroyed their gold reserves. Their value is only backed by the NCR government's word, which doesn't mean a whole lot at this point in time. The NCR dollar is only worth about forty percent of a cap right now."

"As for the Legion money, the silver coin is the Denarius, while the gold coin is the Aureus. The current exchange rate is four caps for every Denarius, and one hundred caps for one Aureus. While all three types are accepted at the casinos, only caps and Legion coins are accepted at other businesses here in the Mojave, as NCR dollars are viewed as worthless by most people. Hell, I'm pretty sure that troopers get their pay in caps." He was basing that off the fact that Christina had offered him her husband's back pay, which she said had been in caps. He wasn't sure if there was an option for troopers to get their pay in caps or NCR dollars; he would have to ask Christina later.

"There are stockpiles of each here in the 38, which brings me to my next point: I will be providing funding for whatever you need for the duration of your stay. Before anyone objects-" he looked to Sarah and Reilly, who looked like they were just about to do that "-I am not taking no for an answer. I have more than enough funds available. In the past year, House spent over eight-hundred-thousand caps hiring people to look for the Platinum Chip, and that barely made a dent in the reserves." Eyes widened in shock at the number they just heard.

"Like I told the others when I told them this a while ago, you are all my friends, and you deserve the best weapons and armor that money can buy." "Well, when you put it like that, Mark," Sarah said, "I think I speak for everyone when I say that we accept." "You're all welcome. If you need caps, just ask a Securitron to get however much you need."

"There is a business near here that I suggest that you check out. It's called "Gun Runners," and they manufacture and sell their own weapons, ammunition, and armor. A lot of stuff they have you can't find in DC, like different types of ammunition. I think they have armor-piercing, hollow point, incendiary, and a couple others that I can't remember." "Incendiary? Like on fire?" Glade asked. "Yes, Glade, like on fire," Mark responded.

Glade grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Dusk, Colvin, they have a weapon called an "Anti-Materiel Rifle." It's an advanced version of a sniper rifle that was originally designed to punch through tanks." Dusk and Colvin looked at each other and smiled. "Yeah, I think we'll be checking that out," Colvin said.

"Good, um, next, in case you aren't aware, the Brotherhood of Steel is not as well-liked out here, mostly by the NCR. The military has standing orders to shoot Brotherhood personnel on sight, since their armor is easily identifiable. While you are safe on the Strip, once you venture outside of it, I can't do anything for you. That's why I'd rather you not wear your Power Armor or anything that identifies you as Brotherhood outside these walls, well at least not until the Legion eventually attacks Hoover Dam. Rangers, no one really knows who you are, so you guys are fine."

"Well, then what are we supposed to wear for armor?" Sarah asked. "Already got that covered. This morning I put in orders with Gun Runners for all of you, Rangers included, for advanced armor. It's similar to what John was wearing last night, and each set is custom-made to fit each of your body types. I paid them a buttload of caps to put a rush on it, so they'll be ready in a day or two."

"And how exactly did you get our measurements?" Reilly asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Securitrons scanned each of you. Don't worry, I don't have x-ray photos of each of you or anything. I'm not into men, and if I want to see a naked woman, I'll just go to Amata. She's a lot friskier these days. One of the few good things about her hormones being all screwy."

"Um, so getting back on track, in the meantime, if you do want to go explore the Strip, there are clothing stores downstairs with copious amounts of clean pre-war clothing that you can use." Mark cracked his neck. "Only maybe five people outside this building know that House is dead. Two are locked in a bunker, and I don't think the other three will tell anyone. Please do not reveal that information to anyone who does not already know. I plan to reveal it eventually, but after things calm down around here."

He paused and looked around the room. "Alright, so we've now arrived at the main reason that you're all here: the conflict between the Legion and the NCR. We'll start with the NCR." The NCR flag appeared on the screen. "The New California Republic, or NCR for short, is a federal presidential republic based in the former U.S. state of California. It started out as one town, Shady Sands, that was founded in 2097 by the dwellers of Vault 15."

"It grew into five states upon adoption of a formal constitution in 2189, which is when it officially became known as the NCR. Those states are Shady Sands, which stands as the capital, Los Angeles, Dayglow, the Hub, and Maxson. Yes, it is named after that Maxson. The latest census puts citizenship at about 700,000 people. They embrace the values of the pre-war United States: democracy, personal liberty, and the rule of law. They have free elections, a President, a Congress, and a court system, with laws being adapted from U.S. common law."

"They also have a healthcare system, a steady economy, and a large standing military. By wasteland standards, they are quite well-off. However, while they have all those good things from the old world, they also have a lot of the bad. First, there are no term limits for Presidents."

"Their first President, a man named Aradesh, served from 2189 until his death in 2196. Upon his death, his daughter Tandi was elected and served until her death in 2248. With one term consisting of four years, that comes to thirteen terms in office. For comparison's sake, the U.S. Constitution limited Presidents to two four-year terms. And while yes, she was re-elected each time, she became so powerful that it got to the point where no one really opposed her, essentially becoming a monarch."

Mark kept an eye on John, who nodded at that last part. "Even today, she is widely regarded as the NCR's most popular President, and with good reason. She did a lot that enabled the NCR to become the superpower that it is today. The big problem was that the NCR was wholly unprepared for life after her. While the government under her was mainly concerned with the welfare of the people, successive governments have become more self-serving, which has led to widespread greed and corruption."

"The current President is Aaron Kimball. He is a former NCR General and war hero. He is also a war hawk and was the one who ordered Hoover Dam occupied. The signing of the New Vegas Treaty caused his popularity to soar. His ultimate goal is to bring the Mojave, New Vegas included, under the NCR's banner as a sixth state. They've been trying for years with little success."

"Over the years, NCR citizens have become tired of war and of sending their sons and daughters to the Mojave to die with very little to show for it. His political career rides on him beating the Legion and securing the Mojave and New Vegas. If he does all that, he becomes more popular than ever. If not, well, he won't be President for much longer, and I have no intention of letting them get their hands on the Mojave."

"As for their military, it is largely based on the U.S. military. It is commanded by this man, General Lee Oliver. He is a career soldier who is an ardent supporter of Kimball, which is likely how he got the post in the first place, because the man is a spineless idiot. I experienced that idiocy firsthand." "Oh, I think we'd all like to hear that story," Reilly said, grinning at him.

"Yeah, why not? So, I got a message that Ambassador Crocker wanted to meet with me. Well, with "The Courier." So, I went, and Oliver just happened to be there. Long story short, things got heated, and he ended up pointing a gun in my face. I told him in general terms about what I did to Autumn, and that if he harmed any of my friends, he would regret it. So yeah, we're not on good terms right now, and I don't anticipate that changing anytime soon."

Sarah laughed. "You're still pissing off powerful people. Guess some things haven't changed, huh?" Mark smiled. "Nope, guess not. Moving on. This is Colonel James Hsu, who is McCarran's base commander. Him, I am on good terms with. He is a lot calmer and more level-headed than Oliver. According to Boone, Hsu probably would've been General by now if Oliver didn't personally know Kimball."

"Um, most of their troopers wear this type of armor." A picture of an NCR trooper appeared. "It's standard breastplate armor. Decent protection. Most carry a service rifle and a sidearm. While some of the troopers joined voluntarily, a lot are conscripted, and all of them are only given the minimum amount of training before they are sent into the field, so you can probably guess how that's working out. The NCR's elite troops are called the "Veteran Rangers."" A ranger appeared on screen. "They wear black combat armor and carry much more powerful weaponry. They are basically the NCR's version of the Pride."

"Now, onto the other side of this conflict: Caesar's Legion, or just the Legion." The Legion's symbol came on screen. "It is a totalitarian dictatorship that is based on the ancient Roman Empire. It is not known exactly as to when the Legion was formed, but best estimates put it at roughly thirty years ago, and they are led by this man." An overhead shot of Caesar looking up came on screen. It was the best photo they had of him. "His calls himself Caesar, real name unknown. Arcade informed us that once upon a time, he was a member of the Followers, which is likely where he got his knowledge of the Romans from."

"Their current capital is in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Legion's forces are compromised of tribes that joined by either force or coercion. Once they join, their tribal identity is stripped from them, and all presence of it is erased from existence. They are then brainwashed to accept the Legion's teachings."

"The soldiers are fanatically loyal to Caesar and will kill themselves without a second thought if he orders them to. They shun technology, although they do use ballistic weaponry. They use slave labor extensively, and they believe that women are nothing more than breeding stock." That got some angry glares from the women in the group. "Anyone outside of the Legion are called "Profligates," which means that they lack morals. Their scouts and more low-level soldiers wear scavenged pre-war sporting gear for armor, while the more experienced soldiers wear specially-crafted armor."

"In 2274, they set up a large encampment on Fortification Hill along the Colorado River." An overhead shot of the camp appeared. "It was then they had their first large-scale conflict with the NCR, called "The Battle of Hoover Dam." The Legion, under the command of the Malpais Legate, Joshua Graham, led an assault on the dam. Initially, Graham had the upper hand, forcing the NCR back."

"This is where the tide turned. The Veteran Rangers and First Recon led a strategic retreat west across the dam, and into Boulder City, all while using their marksmanship to take out Legion officers. The NCR led them into the city, which had been booby-trapped with explosives six ways to Sunday. The NCR detonated the explosives, crippling the Legion and pushing them back east."

"From what I've heard, Caesar was so angry at Graham for his failure that Caesar had him covered in pitch, set on fire, and then tossed into the Grand Canyon." A few people gasped. "Yeah, so after that, Caesar has been rebuilding his army and aims to try and take the dam again, which is why you are here now, presumably."

His eyes swept the room. "Look, I'm not going to lie to you: this is the toughest enemy that we've ever had to face, and yes, that includes the Enclave. But all of you are the best of the best, and I have no doubt that we will come out victorious and secure the Mojave's freedom once and for all." He then knocked twice on the computer monitor. A quote appeared:

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

-Thomas Paine, The American Crisis

"So," Mark said after a moment of silence, "any questions?" Cross raised her hand. "Go ahead, Cross." "Doesn't it bother you that you are profiting from other people's misfortunes?" she asked. Mark sighed. "Does it bother me that people come here with their life savings and leave without two caps to scrape together? Of course it bothers me, but there are some things that you need to realize. One, it's called gambling for a reason. Most are smart enough to realize that they are going to lose money. Some people just don't have the sense to walk away before they go broke, and that's on them. It's not my business to tell people how to spend their money."

"Second, as I said earlier, most people outside of this building believe that House is still alive. He has never been known for being charitable, so if people start reporting that Securitrons are suddenly handing out caps in Freeside or something like that, people are going to know that something is amiss. Lastly, I have already been working to make things better in Freeside. Why do you think that I've made sure that the Followers are well-funded and well-stocked? Why do you think that I supported a treaty that will allow for increased patrols as well as distribution of food and water to everybody in Freeside?"

"I want those that have lost everything to be able to be safe, fed, and watered until they are able to get back home. Once everything is settled out here, I have plans to make Freeside better, but that is going to cost money, as does waging a war. So yes, in the short term, things here have to remain largely the same, but I'm thinking long-term."

"Eventually I want to tear down the gates at the front and get rid of the credit check. I want to make it so you can go anywhere in Freeside and not have to worry about getting mugged. I want the Kings, NCR, and Freeside locals to coexist peacefully, but none of that is going to happen overnight."

"I may have been born in DC, but this area, the Strip and Freeside, this is my home now. I'm done moving. I want to raise my family here. I want this area to flourish, just like I want DC to flourish. That answer your question, Cross?" The woman in question nodded. "Good. Any other questions?" There were none. "Good." He then got to a standing position and stepped off the top of the monitor, floating to the ground to the amazement of everyone except John. "Then this briefing is over. Sarah, Reilly, John, hang back. I want to talk with you guys."

The crowd dispersed, leaving just the quartet. "Sarah, Reilly, I want to catch up with you guys. If you want to head up those stairs, there's a sitting area. I just want to talk with John here for a second." The two women headed up the stairs and through the curtain. Mark then turned his attention to John.

"How are you and Cass doing?" "We're good. We talked this morning, and she filled me in on what happened after I left. I told her about you being Jack's grandson. Didn't think that you'd mind," John said. "Nah, that's fine. How about all that?" Mark said, waving a hand towards the monitor.

"Heh. Things certainly have changed with the NCR since I left. Back then caps had become worthless and the NCR dollar was the dominant currency. To see that it's pretty much reversed now is interesting. And I always had a feeling that they were going to have issues after Tandi. People pretty much worshipped the ground she walked on. She was still alive when I left, but it looks like she died shortly after that. Then there's this Legion group. Never heard of them before, but it doesn't matter. We'll beat 'em."

Mark nodded. "That we will, John. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go catch up with my friends." "Alright, kid. I'll talk to you later," John said before he walked away. Mark then went up the stairs and went into the bedroom slash sitting room. Sarah and Reilly were sitting down on the couches near the window.

"Hey guys," Mark said, getting their attention as he walked over. "Has anyone ever told you that you have the most incredible luck of anyone that I've ever met?" Reilly said. "Yeah, once or twice," Mark answered. He then stepped out of the suit and sat down next to Sarah. "So, did you guys look around? What do you think of the place?"

"That gym is amazing," Sarah said. "I had to pinch myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming when I saw it. Although, is there a place where we can shoot, since I assume that you don't want us shooting in there?" "Uh, yeah, there's a sub-basement where House showed me what the Securitrons could do. It's fairly large, should suit your needs." Sarah nodded.

"Anyway, how are things going back out in good old Washington, DC?" "Well," Reilly said, "for the Rangers things are pretty much the same, still taking on contracts and all that. We've seen more people scavenging the ruins of downtown DC now that the muties are history, though. Oh, and I'm thinking of hiring someone new to replace Theo, may he rest in peace."

"As for us," Sarah said, "membership has never been higher, we now have a fleet of vertibirds at our disposal, and except for a few raiders and slavers trying to regain a foothold, things are pretty calm. With the increased manpower, my father wants to set up outposts in the settlements to help protect them, as well as allowing the people to get to know us better."

"I assume that you will be getting the community's consent and not forcing it upon them," Mark said. Sarah smiled. "Come on, Mark, you know my dad better than that. He would never force the communities to accept that. It's completely up to them. Big Town's the only one that's accepted so far, and with their history, it was almost a given. We're in talks with a few others as well."

Mark nodded. "Speaking of your dad, how's he holding up?" Sarah's face fell a bit. "He's doing as well as can be expected, given his age and what the Brotherhood's gone through. By the way, he gave us a note with a message from Elder McNamara to you. Neither of us could understand what it means, but we were told that you would. We were hoping you could shed some light on it." She pulled out a folded paper from her pocket and handed it to him. He opened it and read:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.

After reading it, a grin slowly came across Mark's face before he started laughing like a madman. To most it would seem like nothing, but Mark saw it for what it was: a coded message. If he was right, and he was pretty certain he was, he just gained a new ally for when the Legion attacked Hoover Dam. 'McNamara, you sly bastard,' Mark thought as he calmed down.

"Ok, well you obviously understood what it meant, so how about letting us in on it," Reilly said. "Yeah, this has been bothering me way more than it should," Sarah added. Mark pocketed the note. "Well, let's just say that McNamara decided to untie his hands," he answered. "And what the hell does that mean?" Reilly asked. Mark chuckled. "You'll see when the time comes. I'm allowed to have my secrets. So, what else is going on in DC? How's Three Dog doing?"

The two women were thrown off at his sudden change of topic, but quickly recovered. "He's good," Sarah said. "He keeps telling the people that they should still continue to fight the good fight and not get complacent just because everything seems good. He misses you, although that may be because his toaster's apparently on the fritz again." The three of them laughed at that.

"Um, as for what else is going on, Grayditch has been resettled. We dug that Lesko guy you told us about out of the tunnels and removed all traces of the ants. He works for us now, and while I don't understand all that science mumbo-jumbo, I've heard that he's been making some tangible progress trying to reduce the size of the ants." "Good," Mark said. "The guy's obviously smart. He just needs to be supervised so he doesn't get ahead of himself again. Anything else interesting going on?"

"I've noticed that there are a lot more caravans around," Reilly said. "Some of them are coming from outside DC. We were coming back from a job and stopped at Canterbury Commons. Place was packed. It's become the trading hub for the entire Capital Wasteland." Mark grinned. "Roe must be in his element. So, um, how's, uh, how's Fawkes doing?" he asked, wondering how his friend, his brother, really, was doing.

"Surprised it took you this long to ask," Sarah said. "Last time I saw him he was good. He took off a while ago, though. Something about wanting to see the rest of the country or something like that." "Oh," Mark said, frowning a bit. He quickly shook that off and smiled. "Well, good for him. He always liked seeing new places, and after being cooped up in that vault for who knows how long, I understand why. I'm glad he's off having his own adventure. He deserves to travel for pleasure and not because we had to storm a base or whatever."

Sarah noticed that Mark got a faraway look in his eyes, likely remembering all the things he and Fawkes did. She knew how close the two of them were after seeing and hearing about how the two of them interacted both on and off the battlefield. They were an interesting pair, a vault dweller and super mutant, no, meta-human, but with them, it worked. Ever since they met, you had rarely seen one without the other. She could tell that Mark missed him.

"Hey, you never know. He could eventually find his way out here, and the two of you could go on another grand adventure," the Sentinel said, giving Mark a pat on the shoulder. "Well, that would be nice, but after this whole thing with the Legion is over, I think that my adventuring days are done. I have a family now. Amata's worried about me enough, and Abby and the baby are going to require a lot of my attention. They're more important to me than any adventure."

"That's very mature of you, Mark," Sarah said. "Oh, and speaking of Abby, I talked to her this morning when I went searching for you. She is just so damn cute. She told me that you're her hero, you know that?" Mark smiled. "So I've been told. You know, her coming into my life helped me truly understand why my dad sacrificed himself for me." "How's that?" Reilly asked.

"Well, logically I understood why he did what he did. He loved me and wanted to give me a chance to escape. He, um-" Mark paused, trying to find the right words. "Honestly, I can't really put it into words. It's the love that a parent has for a child that, and no offense to either of you, you can't really understand unless you have a child of your own. She may not be my own flesh and blood, but she is my daughter in every other way that matters. I would die for her, and no force in this universe could ever change that."

Sarah and Reilly heard the passion in his voice as he spoke. "I think we the gist of it, Mark. So, is Amata a good mother?" "Oh, she's the best. It just seems like it comes naturally to her, and she's a great teacher for Abby as well. I couldn't have asked for a better partner and mother of my children." With that, they lapsed into silence before it was broken when Mark's pip-boy beeped.

Mark looked down, seeing the face of Yes Man. "What's going on, Yes Man?" he asked. "Sir, there is another vertibird that lacks an IFF transponder that appears to be headed for the city." Mark looked up at the two women. "Hey, it's not us. Everyone that's supposed to be here is here," Reilly said. Sarah nodded in agreement.

"Yes Man, how far out are they?" "Approximately four miles, sir. It appears to have originated within the five-mile radius." "And what direction are they headed from?" "They came from the west, sir." Mark nodded. "Alright Yes Man, same as last night, activate the defenses and patch me through." There was silence for a couple moments. "Done, sir. Patching through now."

"Attention unknown vertibird. You are entering restricted airspace. Identify yourselves immediately!" Mark ordered. A male voice came through, one that Mark recognized. "Uh, hey, Mark, how's it, uh, how's it going?" It was Arcade. "Arcade? Why the hell are you on a vertibird?" Mark asked.

"Um, that's going to take a bit of an explanation, and one we should probably have face-to-face. We're heading for the roof of the 38, if that's alright." Mark rubbed his face. "Yeah, that's fine, Arcade. I'll meet you up there." "Uh, thanks. Um, listen, there are some others with me. I know that you're probably still mad at me, but could you do me a favor and not start shooting when you see them?" Arcade asked.

Mark wondered why Arcade would make that request, but then he remembered the incident and what it was about. Mark realized who Arcade was probably with. He sighed. "Alright, you have my word, Arcade. See you on the roof. Mark out." Mark cut the connection, and then got up and walked with purpose to the suit, ordering Yes Man to power down the defenses again.

He stepped in the suit and then started to walk away. Reilly looked at Sarah and jerked her head in Mark's direction. Sarah nodded, and both women stood up and ran to catch up with him. "Mark, wait up. What's going on?" Sarah asked as they got to the door that led to the stairwell.

"Something that you guys probably aren't going to like," Mark answered without looking at her. Once they got on the roof, they looked west, seeing a vertibird approaching in the distance. The three of them watched it come closer. "Guys, whatever you do, please don't draw your weapons," Mark said. "What?" Reilly said. "Just please don't draw your weapons, even if you get an overwhelming urge to do so."

That was the last thing that was said as they watched the vertibird. It eventually entered the city limits and approached the 38, moving to land in the last available spot. Upon its descent, all three saw something that they were very familiar with: The Enclave symbol. Sarah and Reilly both frowned, while Mark kept his face neutral, conflicting emotions swirling inside him. "Mark, what the hell is going on?" Sarah asked through gritted teeth.

Mark didn't respond, watching as the engine cut out and the door opened. The first person to exit was Arcade, clad in Enclave Tesla armor, helmet under his right arm. "Hey Mark. Hello, ladies that I don't know. Apparently, I missed a few things while I was gone." "Arcade," Mark said as he watched others climb out and stand behind the Followers doctor, "you better have one hell of an explanation." "Look, Mark, I know that you're not a big fan of the Enclave, and by the murderous looks on the faces of the ladies behind you, I'm guessing they aren't either, but I thought that, well, maybe they could help."

Mark's eyes swept the people behind Arcade. They all appeared to be quite advanced in age. The first in the row was a balding Caucasian man with black horn-rimmed glasses outfitted in an Enclave scientist uniform. Next was an African American man with thin white hair wearing thinner glasses and Tesla armor. Then there was a Caucasian woman wearing a cowboy hat, a brown bomber jacket, a white t-shirt, and blue jeans.

After her was another African American man wearing an Enclave officer's uniform. Finally, there was a Caucasian man who was bald and had a full white beard wearing Tesla armor. "Go on," Mark said, his eyes now boring into Arcade. "Right, um, well, this is my dad's old squad, the "Devil's Brigade," although these days they call themselves the "Enclave Remnants."" Arcade identified them in the order that Mark looked them over.

"This is Dr. Matthias Henry, Orion Moreno, Daisy Whitman, Captain Judah Kreger, and Frank "Cannibal" Johnson. So, um, who are these ladies?" "Reilly Finnegan, leader of Reilly's Rangers," Reilly said. "Sentinel Sarah Lyons, DC chapter, Brotherhood of Steel," Sarah added. The man named Moreno scoffed at Sarah. "You got something to say, old man?" Sarah spat out, taking a couple steps towards him.

Mark stuck out an arm to keep her from advancing any further. "Not now, Sarah," Mark said. "Mark, you may be in charge of your little team downstairs, but you are not in charge of me." "No, I'm not, but this is my city, my house, so it's my rules. Got it?" Sarah growled, but stepped back. Mark then glared at Moreno.

"And you, Moreno, I don't know what your opinion of the Brotherhood is, and I really don't care, so zip it." "Watch your mouth, son. I've been fighting since before you were born, and I could still kick your ass," Moreno retorted. "Moreno! That's enough!" Kreger said. Moreno huffed and then went silent.

"Arcade, come with me. I need to talk to you. The rest of you, no fighting, or so help me I will expel you from this city so fast your heads will spin," Mark said, heading for the hatch. Arcade followed him. They came into the stairwell. "Yes Man, close the hatch," Mark said. "Done, sir," the AI said.

The two of them stood in silence for a few moments before Mark spoke. "I'm sorry, Arcade," he said. "What? About you hitting me? It's fine, really. Don't worry about it," Arcade responded. Mark shook his head. "No, it's not fine, so don't give me a free pass. You know what they did to me, what they did to my dad. Since the day he died, I've carried a burning hatred for the Enclave. It was on a low simmer for a while but seeing that symbol again brought that hatred back up to a full blast. You just happened the nearest target. You didn't deserve that."

"Amata set me straight, told me what you told everyone else. That you hated what the Enclave did, which is something that I should've realized based on the organization you belong to and what you've done since I met you. I'm trying to let go of the past. I really am, but it's so damn hard." Mark sat down on the stairs and put his head in his hands. A couple moments later, Arcade joined him.

"I forgive you. Honestly, I don't think we can ever truly let go of the past, for it has made us who we are today," Arcade said. "I grew up in Navarro, which is a military base near San Francisco. There were a few times when I'd see and/or hear prisoners being brought in, begging to be let go so they could go back to their families. To this day, I can still see them, bruised and bloodied. I can still hear their screams. I wanted to do something to help them, but I was just a kid. They weren't going to let me anywhere near them."

"I tried to get someone to listen to me, that people shouldn't be treated that way, but I was always told that it was none of my business and to just run along. Then, when I was about thirteen or fourteen, the NCR attacked the base. My dad's old team got my mom and me out of there, thankfully avoiding detection until we got to the Mojave. After we got here, we decided that it would be easier to avoid detection if we all went our separate ways."

"Mom died a few months later, and after that I found my way to the Followers. They were everything that the Enclave wasn't. It was nice to be around like-minded people for once. Me and the Remnants, we've kept in touch over the years. I've always felt like an outsider around them, you know? They were all old war veterans and I was just the kid of one of them."

"After you hit me, I did some thinking. I guess that I had always been thinking about it, but that's what spurred me into action. There's an old Enclave bunker near Mt. Charleston that we would use as a fallback point in case it was ever needed. I went to the bunker and called them all back. With the situation the way it is, I thought that maybe they could help, that they could do some good before they kicked the bucket. Moreno was the toughest to get on board, but we eventually convinced him."

Mark looked over at him. "So let me get this straight: you managed to convince five old Enclave soldiers to help the NCR against the Legion. Then you decided to bring them here, thinking that I was still pissed at you, knowing how I feel about the Enclave, with no guarantees that I wouldn't shoot them on sight, much less let them stay here?" "Uh, yeah, pretty much," Arcade said. Mark let out a laugh. "Don't ever let anyone tell you that you aren't brave, Arcade."

He then sighed. "Do you trust them?" Arcade nodded. "I do." Mark looked straight ahead, pursing his lips while clenching and unclenching his hands. "Fine, whatever, they can stay," he said eventually. "Really?" Arcade asked. "Yeah. Unless they were in DC a few months ago, they personally haven't done anything to me. Problem is that now I've got a dozen-plus people downstairs who hate the Enclave's guts." "Oh yeah, are those women the same ones-" "Yeah, they're the ones that I told you about. Elder McNamara contacted them without my knowledge and requested that they come and help me. They got here last night," Mark said, cutting Arcade off.

"Look," Arcade said, "if it's going to be a problem, maybe I should just tell the Remnants to head back. I don't want to cause any more issues." Mark waved him off. "No, it's fine. The others will just have to deal with it. But you're going to have to keep your group in line. I'm not taking any shit from them."

"Understood. Um, I already told them about Amata and Abby, and how you wouldn't be happy if anything happened to them. I also told them about House, but don't worry, they won't tell anyone else." Mark nodded. "Alright, well, let's go make sure that no one's dead up there," Mark said as he stood up. Arcade stood up as well and followed him. "So, what's the story with that suit? And your head?" Mark chuckled. "I'll fill you in later."

They came back onto the roof, seeing the two groups far apart from one another. "Good. Everyone's still alive," Mark said as he walked over. He stopped a few feet from the Remnants, his face steeled. "Welcome to New Vegas," was all he said before he turned on his heel and headed for the hatch.

Sarah stopped him, absolutely flabbergasted. "Mark, are you serious?! They're Enclave! You cannot possibly trust them!" Mark looked at her, over his shoulder at the Remnants, and then back at her. "I don't trust them, Sarah, but Arcade does, and I trust him." He looked at Arcade and nodded, and Arcade nodded back. He then walked past Sarah and down the hatch, everyone watching as he did.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Until next time, stay safe everyone, and reviews are welcomed and appreciated.