Author's Note

Small heads up, I edited a small party of the story in the second chapter.

Now instead of some events there is a white Legs Masacre. I did that because it was a bad decision.

Also, does anyone know how much nutritions have got military MREs?

Also big thanks to the author of the crossover "New World Blues", I am going to strive to write like you. Fallout fans should read it. It is confusing as hell but amazing at the same time.

It is on the fanfiction in RWBY crossover.

Chapter 6 Put the Beast Down

Courier six slowly woke up, his mind a bit dizzy just like the first time. He shook his head before he rose to his feet and checked if the unicorn was all right. She was breathing albeit a bit slowly. The gas must have taken its tool on her, the dose was meant for an average man so it probably was too much for a creature as small as her. I'd better check if everything is all right.

He detached the unicorn, put her on the ground, took of her helmet and checked her vitals. Thanks to his knowledge about medicine he diagnosed she would be fine, but just in case he would keep a close eye on her.

He took a look around and noticed that they were currently located is some sort of lobby. It was poorly lit, but rather clean to his surprise. It also had a hologram standing on the stairs. He checked his pipboy and noticed that a new note from Elijah and a quest appeared. It was called "Put the beast down" and it said that he had to restore the power to the building.

He gently strapped on the unicorn to his chest without putting the helmet back on and then he went deeper into the casino. He went through a pair of double door and entered what looked like a gambling part. He grinned happily before he noticed a bloody security hologram standing right in front of him and then his smile dropped. Luckily, there was a terminal on his right, which he sneaked up to and turned it on. He then rerouted the hologram, causing It to patrol the ground floor.

What followed next could be described as a ton of sneaking, gathering supplies, turning off hologram emitters and finally returning power to the villa. The lights turned on, presenting Sierra Madre in its full glory. Slot machines were spinning, holograms were waiting for him patiently to exchange the caps and the music. The music was great, better than hearing "Johny Guitar" ten times over.

Courier six grinned before he announced, "I am going to break the bank, just you wait Sierra Madre." Now he had a couple of games he could play, including Slots, Blackjack and Roulette. He had already cleaned out all the other casinos in the Mojave and was banned from all of them, which was kind of sad. But now, he was going to get even richer. He walked up to the table with the Blackjack, put maximum bet and started playing.

***

When Sweetie Belle arrived at the fountain with the courier and met with the big blue creature, she felt nervous. Luckily, the feeling was gone after a while. Along the way they found more of those shambling creatures, which were disposed of by her saviour.

That was an easy part but when the fireworks were sent into the sky she had to survive at least ten minutes of pure horror as her saviour sneaked by those creatures almost touching them. She was afraid, she wanted to scream but couldn't, it was like she had a lump of ice in her throat. Her mind was racing as she held the teddy bear as hard as she could, almost ripping the toy apart.

However, when they went inside the big building a cloud of white smoke was blown into her face. After that she lost her conscience and didn't wake up for a while. When she woke up though, she heard many different noises around her.

She lazily opened her eyes, rubbed them and noticed a room with a table right in front of her. Then she remembered where was she and what had happened before. Everything she experienced wasn't a dream. She wanted to cry but all she felt was emptiness. Too much happened in such a short amount that her mind couldn't take it anymore and she fell asleep again, a single tear dripping from her face.

***

While the courier was playing the unicorn suddenly woke up. She took a look around before a single tear came out her face and she fell asleep again. When he saw it, he felt like a deathclaw just punched him in the gut, followed by being set on fire, thrown into the canyon, pulled back and thrown again. The terrible pain coming from his heart made it even worse. He thought he had lost his humanity a long time ago, but it seemed like this was not the case. He never wanted to see unicorn cry, ever again. What was I thinking? Why did I bring her with me?! If I just left, she wouldn't have suffered through all that, she wouldn't have experienced all those terrible things. But she did and it is all my fault. Fuck me! He summoned a bear trap fist and punched himself as hard as he could repeatedly, until the weapon fell apart. It didn't help much since his wounds were already healing but he had to make himself suffer for his pure idiocy, also these couple of critical strikes definitely helped. He looked back at the blackjack table but he kind of didn't feel like finishing it anymore.

He was about to quit but decided to get this over with and broke the bank in the next three games. He left the table with a scowl on his face. Now that It was over, he had to take care of both the unicorn and his companions, who were all sent out to different parts of the villa. The first one on his list was Dog, who locked himself up in the kitchen. Courier six manoeuvred through the casino before he stopped front hermetically sealed door. What surprised him the most about that was the fact they were sealed due to a gas leak. Dog was inside and he had a bad feeling about this. He immediately crouched and started sneaking before he quietly passed through the door.

Once he entered the kitchen it became obvious what was going on. Courier six gulped nervously for the first time since he had entered Sierra Madre. The gas valves were open and if even one small spark was ignited the villa would be destroyed along with everyone else in it! He turned on stealth suit making himself invisible before he started to repair the valves. One by one he fixed all of them until there was just one left. Just as he finished the last one, the unicorn decided to cough alerting the super mutant their presence. He turned off the invisibility before he approached the nightkin.

“You …? Master… no, not master. Dog remembers you. Kind to Dog… Dog can't … do this? Yes, he can. You caused this – coddled him, protected him, now I'm going to have to take control from … you, you need to go, run. Dog is going to burn voice… burn voice out, burn it away.”

“If you try to burn the voice out of you this casino will be destroyed and us along with it,” courier said before he continued, “Dog, Master is here now, Master wants you to stop this.”

“Master? Master, Dog hoped you would come, voice… voice is going… to stop you. You think your pull is stronger than mine? No… no, I've minded Dog, protected him far longer than you ever have. He won't … listen to you. If Master sent you, Dog is listening.”

“Imagine the voice, not as a voice but as a water. Look at the voice now, what do you see?”

“Dog can see the voice. Looks just like Dog … and Dog looks just like me. You've hurt yourself. Inside. Do you see now, see … in the water. Dog understands now. Dog know what happened.”

“Then...step into the water, step into yourself.”

“If Dog … if Dog goes into the water… Dog can't help if Master gets mad. You were nice to Dog, Dog wants to help. He's right. If you merge us, then … I … we … or whatever we become … we can't help you when you reach whatever is at the end of Sierra Madre. And Dog … Dog doesn’t want to unremember you, may forget you. We will forget almost all that has happened here. You'll be alone – at the Old Man's mercy. Like Dog. Like me.”

“Don't worry about me, I don't intend to die here. It is the Old Man that should be afraid of me, not the other way around. Besides, not having your help doesn't matter if this heals you,” courier admitted while smiling. He wouldn't tell that anyone but he could sympathize with the mutant. It reminded him of a Jacobstown and Lily, who finally found peace thanks to him.

“Dog understands … Dog has done … bad things, knows why voice was … furious with him. Tired of the anger. Thank you … courier. Even if it's only for minutes before Sierra Madre kills us all, then … Dog hopes you find a way to save self, like you help Dog, and … when you meet him, find a way to save yourself, as you tried to save us. Otherwise, I'll be upset with you.”

“We came this far together, I'll manage. Go on, let go.”

“You were there all the time … all the time you were there and so close … together.”

“Are you all right?”

“Who… who are you? What is this place?”

“It'd take too long to explain.”

“I feel as if I've woken up. I don't know you, yet I feel like I do, and a feeling of gratitude. I … forgive me, I … I'm wounded. This chain this bear trap on my arm … how did I even get this far with these wounds? The pain is excruciating, I … I need to rest for a moment.”

“Fine, but don't take long or it'll be a short recovery, trust me."

“Thank you … for whatever you have done. I will remain here, need to get my strength back,” mutant said before it sat down under one of the walls. Courier six turned away, walked out of the kitchen and turned towards the lobby. Goodluck, I hope everything works out for you. Now only Dean and Christine are left. Let's just get this over with.

***

Sierra Madre, despite its state, It was still a well built building. A Fortress, one of a kind. But even its' defences couldn't keep every threat outside forever. The door to the villa swung open, letting a group of ghosts to enter the building. They took a look around when suddenly they heard a sound of metal hitting the floor, which came from the middle of the group. They turned towards it and saw a grenade, which then exploded sending body parts flying everywhere.

The door closed again before courier six materialized out of thin air, his stealth field turning off. He glanced at the bodies, climbed up the stairs and went to the Thampico theather. This place gets worse with every minute, if I don't hurry up ghost people will overwhelm this place. If that happens…, brrrr just thinking about it is giving me the creeps. Courier six walked through the door and arrived at some sort of reception. There was a desk with a computer on it and a long hallway next to it. He entered the hallway, glanced around, turned left and walked down the hallway. At the end of it he found a locked door, which he promptly picked using one of his fifty booby pins, he found along the way. He then opened the door and entered the theater.

Courier six whistled under his breath as he took in the sight in front of him. Not even the Kings or the Tops have got such a fine looking theatre, I am envious. And now I want to see a play at the Tops, damn it! He then turned towards the stage and noticed a music sheet right in front of him. He walked up to it and grabbed it, causing a key to fall out of it. He picked both of the items before he noticed a movement at the back of the stage and noticed Dean Domino standing at the catwalk.

“Finally, a friendly face … hey! Partner! Up here. I'm in a bit of predicament here … had to shut back stage, take a powder, the audience is a little … murderous tonight.”

“Wait, Dean? What the hell are you doing down there? How did you even get there?”

“Thought I was back at the Fronds … well, except no audience, used to pack theatres back then … so stepped up on the stage, check things out … Then suddenly Holograms walked out of the wings … and they started raising their hands to heads all creepy like. Not a good sign.”

“Wait, what Holograms? Do you mean the security ones?”

“Look … those ghosts are going to come out of the wings behind you in a second, the security types, not the “friendly” bald types. Trust me – as soon as you can, run to the door to the left – use the key you got out of the music rag there, and camp out.”

“Wait a second – I need to head to the door to your left or to my left?”

“What? Oh, my left – your right. So, yeah, run to the door on your right. Heh, almost got you killed there. Us killed there.”

“You know, getting backstage is only a temporary measure if I can't find the security terminal,” courier said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Yeah … yeah, right. So … let''s see … security's here because the show hasn't started. Guests aren't allowed in, so … guess we need to start the show. Okay … so then they were setting this place up … we had rehearsals … So, find the music, get it to the projector room upstairs, then play it …? Might reset security, worth a shot.”

“All right, makes sense. Where's the music?”

“The holotape should be where I left it … no, wait. It's … it's in Vera's dressing room, probably. May … may be a key to her room on my desk.”

“Last question, what were you doing with a key to her room?” courier a small grin on his face.

“Do I have to spell it out? Come on. Time's wasting, and those holograms are going to be on us any second.”

“All right, all right, I'll break to my right, head for the locked door.”

“Good, go and don't get yourself killed – do that, and we're both done.”

The courier rolled his eyes before he noticed Holograms coming to life. He quickly sprinted to the door on his right, opened them and closed them as fast as he could. There he saw a sight that made him cringe. On his right, down the corridor, there was a red cloud leaking through the closed door. He sighed before he went past the cloud as close to the other side of the wall as he could, his back turned towards the cloud. Luckily the gap was big enough so neither of them took any damage. The rest of the tour was spent by looting the backstage, finding some blackmail tapes and a song he needed alongside some blackmail tapes which he played during that time. There was only one step left, he had to deliver the song to the projector and activate it, without being turned into swiss cheese by Holograms. He gently put the unicorn on the bed in Vera Keyes' room, showed her to stay and left. As soon as he opened the door, he activated his kinetic implants, dashing past the holograms before they could raise their hands to their heads.

He quickly climbed the stairs, put the holotape into the projector and started the machine. The theatre came to live, its lights shining, ordinary holograms walking around, except the one who sung on the stage. To courier's surprise it was Dean Domino in his pre-war glory. He returned to the unicorn and was greeted with a smile on her face. He returned the smile before he attached the unicorn and opened the door leading to the ghoul.

“Those electric ghosts aren't the kind of audience I like the best of times – at least the ones in Villa had manners. Look, I'm more about the short goodbyes than long thankful speeches … but I appreciate bailing me out of a tight sport there – partner,” the ghoul said with his arms crossed before he continued, “I know you didn't do it out of the goodness of your heart. So let me give something a little more practical – a way we both come out ahead.”

“Oh and what do you mean by that?” courier asked with his brow raised.

“I'm not an idiot. I know the reason I'm in here now is because of the old guy and you. Thing is, here's where being my partner pays off. See, I know how to get into the casino vault.”

“Go on,” courier prompted while gesturing with his hand.

“There's a private elevator, Sinclair's elevator. It's up in the executive suites, in Vera's room. Not a coincidence. Vera. She was … my other partner, before the bomb. Took some legwork. Some convincing made it happen.”

“How so?”

“Sinclair was already puppy-eyed, so all I had to do was the introductions. She smiled, fluttered her eyes, showed a bit of … and he built this whole place for her. Made her the key to his vault, like a joke, cause of her name. Her fake Hollywood name. Except Sinclair didn't know I'd been there first. I could twist her whatever direction I wanted. Now we finish the job. Rob the Sierra Madre, rip out its heart. Last chapter of Fredrick Sinclair, close the book. Had to take him down a few pages, bring him down to my level. 'Begin again?' Some things you don't get up from… I was going to prove it."

“And you are going to prove it? How? Sinclair is most likely dead so I can't really see how you can do that.”

“I didn't know at first. Then … that woman showed up, covered in scars. I put her in the clinic, tuned her like an instrument. If she heals up, it's not going to be her voice speaking anymore. That is, if the Sierra Madre didn't get her. If it did … well there's enough of Vera around for me to spend a few years piecing a book together.”

“And if she is still alive?”

“Then she can make some beautiful music. I'm not banking on it.”

“I see, now everything makes sense. You know what Dean, at first I really, really wanted to gut you, tear you apart and then hang you up while using your insides as a rope,” courier admitted casually a grin on his face while Ghoul's eyes went wide, his hand reaching for his pistol. But the courier was faster, he quickly materialized a police pistol and shot the gun of out ghouls hand. “However, I have changed my mind. I am going to make your death the most agonizing thing in your entire life because to me you are as evil as Elijah with your dick measuring contest with a Sinclair.

“Now hold here for a second, partner. I think we should talk this through,” the ghoul said, his eyes spread wide open as he started to back away from a man who was slowly walking towards him.

“Dean, Dean, Dean. Do you honestly think I am going to listen to a guy that spent two hundred years in Sierra Madre because a long dead man was better than him? No, you are finished.” The courier hissed before he materialized automatic rifle and pulled the trigger. Barrage of shoots hit the ghoul, tearing the flesh and suit apart. Then the ghoul exploded into tiny pieces, painting the theatre red with his blood. The courier looked at the scene, sighed, quickly looted the body and left the place.

He then went towards the lobby and downloaded the music onto his pipboy. Now all that was left was to open the vault and to do that he needed Christine's help. He travelled to the suits and started traversing through them. Along the way he had to sneak past some of the Vera Keyes' Holograms.

“We all pay for what we've done. I'm so sorry, Sinclair. Sorry, I... I should have trusted you,” the ghost said while the courier bit his lip as he listened to the last words of the starlet. Dying alone, trapped in this dreaded place. She didn't deserve that, nobody deserved to die in Madre, nobody. Just you wait, Elijah, I will make you pay for your greed. The courier gritted his teeth as he went back on track. Along the way he came across a security room, with tons of supplies, weapons, armour and a way to make holograms not hostile. After that the rest of the trip became as easy as it could. The courier strolled through the apartments until he reached the best suit and entered it.

The room he entered was spacious and elegant. It had a small bar on his right, with several stools by it and a terminal next to it. It also had a small coffee table surrounded by chairs. There was also a single door on his left, which he walked up to and opened it.

“You made it, good…,” Christine said as she coughed before she continued, “Ugh… Hurts to talk. I'll keep this quick in case my … voice goes out.”

“Christine, you know that you sound like the woman in the Sierra Madre broadcast.” courier said as he took a look at the her. She was wearing a Sierra Madre security armour and it seemed like she wasn't injured beyond the scars she got at the beginning, which was definitely good news.

“Do I? It sounds off to my ears … hard to tell. Not to mention it … hurts like hell to swallow. Might be why I got moved off to this suite … it's hers. That's her over there, got trapped by security like I did. Just took a different way out.”

“Now that your voice is back, what did you want to say?”

“I've been hunting the one who hijacked your Pip-Boy, Elijah, for … some time. He cannot leave the Sierra Madre alive. What he's done … what he's done here is nothing compared to what he's done in the past. The only way to bring him out is if you get to the vault … he won't allow you to go down there alone. That's when we kill him.”

“You could have said something sooner,” courier said while crossing his arms trying not to touch the unicorn. For whatever reason she was still asleep all this time even when he shot Dean and it was starting to worry him.

“Wasn't sure until now I could trust you. Now I know.”

“Look, when I woke up here … however that happened … I had this key on me – I think it belongs to her. Haven't had a chance to use it yet – might open the dresser, or the safe – didn't have time to experiment with it before you arrived. Here you go.” The courier nodded before he de materialized the key.

“Do you know whether that Auto-Doc there works?” courier asked as he nodded towards the machine behind Christine's back.

“Yeah, still functional. Lot of garbage data on it, its basic procedures should still work fine.”

“Is there anything you can download of it?”

“Lot of Med-x was dispensed for … Vera Keyes. Guess that's her corpse there for certain … and why all those meds are scattered around in here. Here's the medical report. Looks like she had some sort of terminal condition … diagnosis isn't conclusive, must have been painful. I am not even sure she knew, if these medical reports are enough. She must have been numb most of the time.”

“Just glad you are safe. Hold up here, I'll take care of Elijah.”

“Good luck. He's not an easy opponent. If I can, I'll help. Might be able to figure something out using the Sierra Madre's computer systems.”

The courier nodded before he quickly looted the place, taking everything he could even the dresses that used to belong to Vera Keyes before he went back to the main lobby. As the last time the ghost appeared seemingly out of nowhere and he had to blow them up using his holorilfle and a couple of mines he left earlier. Then he walked up to the terminal and downloaded all the track, which now formed a password. With that at hand he returned to the Christine.

“I found the phrase for elevator's audio lock.”

“You did? Looks like even the Old World can't keep you out when you've got a mind to get in. So … I just rasp out some words, and the vault opens? That woman, the starlet … she didn't build this place, why would the builder do that?”

“This place … I'm not certain myself, It doesn't feel like a casino. Not entirely.”

“I know. The sealed doors, the security … it's almost a fortress. Think that's why we're being ordered to come here and crack it open?”

“I guess, It's the object of someone's obsession – or affection.”

“Love makes people do strange things. Won't argue that. It can drive you crazy sometimes if you can't … connect. If they loved each other, and they were together … I suppose that's all that mattered. But she's in that side room, dead, because the casino wouldn't let her leave. And who knows where he is?”

“I have got no idea myself, anyway let's unlock it. The phrase is contained in the lyrics to a song.”

“All right. If you go down there, are you prepared … what if you don't come back?”

“Then you will have to take care of her,” courier said as he pointed at the Unicorn before he continued, “Besides I've got you to come down after me, it'll respond to your voice.”

“I … just wanted to make sure you're ready. When you go down there, that may be it for us … we won't be needed anymore. The one who made these collars, he'll follow you down there. And he won't let you leave. He's not one for sharing, never was.”

“That's why you are waiting. You are going to kill him.”

“I … I … can't let him leave here. Look, you have done so much, and he's not going to show himself until you go down there.”

“Do you trust me? If you do, let go of this.”

“I can't let go. Every time I've thought about it … I've lost him so many times. He needs to die … what happened here, with us? He's … he's done so much worse.”

“Let him come through the suites, follow me. If he escapes, you'll still be here, waiting.”

“You have to promise me. Promise me you'll deal with him … if I see him, I …”

“Chrisine, please, let go of this. Let me deal with him.”

“All right. All right, I'll … but I'll need to leave this floor. He'll pick up my collar, and …”

“Not really, here let me take care of that,” courier said before he carefuly defused the collar and dematerialized it.

“I never mind. Let me get the vault open … “Begin again … but know when to let go.” Sounds like you.” the woman said before she said the password to the communicator.

“Now, there is only one thing left. Can you do something for me, Christine?” courier asked his voice cracking up at the end.

“What is it, is something wrong?”

“You could say that. Thing is, I don't expect myself to go back. I should have died a long time ago, when I was shoot in the head by Benny. Maybe if I did none of this would have happened.” the courier said, shook his head and continued, “Christine, do you remember what I told you when you asked me why did I come here? Well, I lied. I didn't come here because I was bored or something like this. I came here because I expected to die, I should have died. And you ask why? Heh, that is a good one. I did it, I managed to blow up two nations, damning them all to hell. How did this turn out like, I have got no clue. All I know is that I caused a second Apocalypse. I wanted Mojave to be free from both the NCR and the Legion but if I had known the consequences I wouldn't have done that. That is why when I go to the vault I may or I may not come back. If that happens, please take care of her.” The man detached the harness and handed over the unicorn to the woman. Her eyes were spread wide open as she silently took the unicorn before he moved past her and entered the elevator, leaving Christine alone in the apartment.

She couldn't say a word as she tried to comprehend everything he just said to her. It couldn't be right, nobody could have done anything like this, or maybe he could? She gulped before she went to the Vera's room and sat on the bed, closing the door behind her. Her mind was confused , while being swarmed with questions. What he had just said, it scared her. She didn't want to believe it, but deep down she knew that it was truth, or at least this is what the courier thought. She bit her lip as she tried to come up with something, anything that would let her help the courier, maybe convince him otherwise. But there was nothing, and then he went down to the vault. All she could hope for now is for the courier to get back safely.

In the meantime she focused her attention on the little creature, currently laying on her lap. Throughout her travels she has never seen anything like this and it was way too cute. She gently stroked her mane and the unicorn cuddled to her touch, while still holding her teddy bear. It was adorable and caused her to smile. She continued gently stroking her mane as the time passed. Then after a couple of minutes the unicorn woke up. She looked around confused before she noticed the woman. Her eyes spread wide open before she squealed and jumped of Christine. She took a look around before she glared at the woman.

Seeing this, the woman lifted her arms showing that she had no weapons in them. The unicorn frowned and said something in her language. It sounded unlike anything she has ever heard before and she wasn't really surprised by that fact. Christine sighed before she made herself comfortable on the bed.

“I can't understand you and the courier went into the vault. So … please be quiet,” she said before she put a finger to her lips. She then opened the pre-war book she found and started reading. The unicorn looked confused as she took a look at the room. Then she started walking around. Once she reached the door though she tried to push it but it wouldn't budge so she kicked the door next.

“What are you doing?!” Christine asked startling the unicorn who looked at her with a her eyes spread wide and tears in corners of her eyes. Seeing this Christine scolded herself before she stood up and then knelt in front of the unicorn. Then she extended her right hand and said, “Here, I am not going to hurt you.” The unicorn looked at the hand then at the woman then back at the hand before she slowly walked up to Christine and let herself be petted.

Seeing this Christine smiled and continued petting the unicorn before she heard the sound of the door opening. Reacting quickly she held her finger to her lips while blocking the mouth of the unicorn. Then she heard footsteps, sound of the elevator before it was quiet again. She let unicorn go, who quickly jumped away from her. She then carefully opened the door and took a peek outside. Seeing nothing, she quickly rushed to the nearest terminal and started working on it. She was about to finish when suddenly she heard the sound of the elevator opening.

Her mind switched into overdrive as she drew her police pistol before jumping behind one of the armchairs and aimed her pistol at the door. In the meantime unicorn hid in the Vera's room as she watched the entire spectacle unfold. The door swung open revealing the man in an assassin suit and Sierra Madre helmet. He looked towards them and murmured, “It is over ...”

“Courier, is that you?” Christine asked her pistol still aimed.

“I think so, god what a mess. You won't have to worry about Elijah ever again. I locked him up in the vault with no way out. He can have this entire Casino for himself as he dies of boredom in a tiny little vault, an irony isn't it?”

Hearing this Christine breathed out deeply before she smiled and holstered her pistol. The unicorn soon followed as she walked out of the room and run towards the courier with a teddy bear on her back. Courier smiled under his helmet as he knelt, lifted the unicorn and hugged her. Christine smiled as she watched the duo, which reminded her a bit of her family and Veronica. She then shook her head and said, “I am glad to hear it, courier six. Now then, I wish you luck, I am going to stay here and make sure noone can use the Madre as Elijah wanted to.”

“I can understand why would you want to do that,” courier said as he attached the unicorn to his chest before he continued, “If this is your decision, I am going to respect it. Still do me a favour and don't die to a ghost or anything pathetic like this, would you?” The man said with a cocky smile on his face.

Christine rolled her eyes and said, “Don't worry, I am not going to throw your life away. Stay safe, courier.” She said before the duo made their goodbyes and left the apartment.

As the courier six and his companion walked through the madre, the ghosts stayed away from them, watching them from the shadows, letting them pass through the toxic dead city. He glanced at the casino one last time, saluted it and left for the Mojave Wasteland.