New Vegas: Blood Ties

Brad yawned as he woke up. He'd slept in a corner in the hallway after sweeping away the sirenges and such. He crept across the hallway and peeked into Yasmin's room. Just as he thought. She was gone.

He didn't blame her. She apparently had enough problems as is. She wouldn't want the khans after her as well. He walked over to a table and ate a box of blam co mac and cheese.

When he was no longer half asleep, he came to his senses and realized how terrible the bunker smelled. No sense in staying any longer. With his plasma rifle strapped to his back, he opened the bunker door and climbed out. He took a nice, deep breath of the fresh mojave air.
 
"I can go with you for a bit. Besides our contract is somewhat open still." He gestured towards the Wasteland. "Lead the way,"
 
Yasmin looked passed Carib and saw Brad. Guilt bit at her ankle. "We should...Wait, I guess. See who else will come and who is leaving." She would have prefered to sneak off with Carib unnoticed, but her logical half told her the more people she had with her, the less she'd need to recruit. Though some she knew wouldn't be keen on a rescue mission and she wasn't sure if she wanted them to stay with her.
 
Carib nodded, "And when we do this mission. I want to take you out to dinner." He also added with another of his half smiles, "of course, if you object, I'd understand."
 
Tom pulled his eyes open, he creaked his neck up, and pulled his head down to his right hand. His hand was wrapped round the neck of a bottle of empty whisky. Tom slowly opened his thoughts, 'Phhhh, a whole bottle in one night Tom, what made you do that?'.
 
Yasmin furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side. "Take me out to dinner? Why? And what does that mean?"

(I know it's kinda silly, but to her 'take out' is to kill someone and dinner is usually just had at where ever she is staying and being with Raider's most of her adult life, they never said anything like that, so she's kinda confused by the term.)
 
Carib cocked a brow but decided to explain, "I mean, as in you accompany me to a place of dinning; we eat, we drink, we make small talk and go our way. I escort you to wear you need to be and we part ways. It is sort of like going out on a date? Hasn't anyone ever asked you out before?"
 
Tom got up, slowly cracking his fingers and joints, pain splitted when it came to his knee, Tom groaned as the noise of the joint cracking echoed in the bunker.

He slowly made his way out of the entrance, looking round the bunker as he stumbled to the door. The sunlight blinded him, Tom lifted his somewhat bruised arm to cover his eyes so he could see.

Carib, Yasmin and Brad were all standing around each other, Carib finished a sentence just as Tom began to open his mouth, 'Morning, I had a little epiphany while I was asleep', Tom raised his head to Yasmin, 'I don't care if you haven't paid me my full sum yet, I don't care that this whole trip was a wild goose chase', Tom paused for a few seconds for breath, 'You can handle yourself clearly, and what's the harm in having an ally who can handle themselves?'.

Tom chuckled for a few seconds, what he said may've been a little open, but he wanted to see Yasmin's reaction, but by the look on Carib's face, Tom was coming second right now.
 
Yasmin nodded as she got what he meant. "Ah, that makes sense now. And I have been asked on...Dates before, I guess. But it was more "Let's go get the money some guy owes another guy, then we'll keep it and then-"" She decided to keep the rest of that to herself. "Well. you get the jist of it."

Tom spoke up and she looked at him. She couldn't help but frown. "You don't like how I do things, you fight with me and accuse me, yet you still want to travel with me?" She folded her arms. "What makes you think I want you with me now?"

She did. Tom could handle a weapon and she could handle Tom, but she wasn't going to let him know that. He'd been a bit of a cactus in her side, she'd at the least want an apology. But she had a feeling that what Tom really wanted was adventure, or something to do. The Mojave was notoriously pointless. It wouldn't be the first time somebody had wanted to follow her just because she had things to do and they wanted to risk their lives for a thrill.
 
Tom put his hands through the facial hair that had been growing since they had left Vegas, he needed a shave, he realised Yasmin had replied and moved his attention away from the itch on his chin.

"I understand i've been quite the pain for you, questioning things never goes down well I know that", Tom paused for a second to catch his breath, still tired off the sleep, "What i'm saying is, if i'm ever in this region again, which is likely due to my status of wanderer, it'd be good to have a few people I can...", Tom was going to choose his words carefully, "..Trust".

Tom let out a little snigger, although Tom thought Yasmin didn't really trust Tom either, at least Tom thought if he helped her out some bridges would be repaired, some may be built.
 
"Trust? after my 'wild goose chase' and nothing but 'lies', you trust me?" She raised her eyebrows skeptically. She was tempted to chew him out, but he'd apologised and she wasn't sure how big his ego was, so that'd be enough for now. "Alright. But just remember how much you trust me next time you want to start questioning my decisions as a leader next time."

That was one extra gun that didn't need to be recruited. Yasmin felt a bit more secure. Though she was unsure how many she'd need to take on....However many Fiends that had Evan. She'd tell them, possibly, exactly what they were getting into. But she was unsure how well they'd take it if they wound up risking their lives for a dead body.

It'd be no where near as bad as she'd take it if they risked everything for a dead body, that was for sure.
 
There was no need for further explanations, Carib already knew what the other part of a 'Raider Date' was. What mattered was she had accepted his offer and Carib felt light inside, as if a burden had been lifted. He would enjoy her company and perhaps he being a bit older felt that if there was going to be anything between them, Carib would much rather he earned the right to her affection. Be it a kiss or night in the sack.

Carib heard Tom's words and nodded his agreement, seeing no reason to voice an opinion. Tom and David were good men. Some would argue David being Enclave would make him a liability, but the Enclave like the Super Mutant Army under the dreaded Master had either been destroyed or absorbed into the landscape.

There was also a lot of wisdom in Tom Searl. He may have been young, but he had been privy to many experiences; and experience mattered.
 
"Of course I trust you, if I had several people around me I had just met, I wouldn't tell them squat if I held it dear, just remember what the mission is about, don't get caught in a web of deceit", Tom was taken aback by himself, it had been a while since he had talked like that, but it was good to know he had had it covered with Yasmin, he nodded reassurance back at Carib.
 
Carib reached in his pack and pulled out a small stripper clip of .308 rounds, these ones however were very different from what he gave Yasmin. Her's were designed to be match grade, while this stripper of ten rounds was just pure death. "Something for your rifle, Tom. They are mercury filled. Will be good for big game.

I felt I owed you for all the info you gave me about Point Lookout and the ruins of DC."
 
David gave a look of disdain at Tom. It was Naive to trust somebody so much after having been lied to. David could understand why Yasmin had done what she had done, but he still didn't like what she had done. How far would she go to find this 'Evan'? David hoped Tom would tak this into account when with Yasmin. She had already made them fight Cazadors and fiends, and was now leading them to a fiend base. You needed a Charismatic leader to make people to do that, and Yasmin wasn't exactly Caesar when it came to inspiring loyalty.
 
Tom gave David a look of understanding, he could see what David was thinking. He shifted his attention back round to Carib, "If you want to know more just ask, there's more than dread and doom in the east, had some good times...great times in fact".

Tom slipped out a little smile as he got reminiscent, damn, Tom was in his early twenties and he was already reminiscing. Tom knew he had seen more than the average man his age, maybe that was what gave Tom the wisdom to say the things he says.
 
Brad watched as the others discussed various things. He reached into his bag and pulled out his scotch. There was still some left, so he drank it all. He tossed the bottle over his shoulder.
 
Yasmin looked at her pipboy. “Well Carib, Brad, Tom, we should start heading. Though I say we should stop somewhere to restock.” She winced a bit. “Plus, I think I need a doc. Who here isn’t hated by the Crimson Caravan? It’s out of the way, but closest place that’ll have decent supplies and a good doctor.”
 
Tom looked down at the rounds that Carib had just gave to him, Tom could tell immediately that they were made with precision. He looked back at Carib, nodding, "Thanks for the rounds, i've very rarely met anyone who would willingly give me some ammo, thanks", Tom walked away and slumped down against the barn wall.

Carib was a good man, Tom had good experience with NCR Rangers, most of them, if not all looked after each other, being able to trust your whole unit was a huge plus in combat. Tom always liked the Rangers, people you could rely on, they would always get the job done.
 
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