Author's Note

Merry Christmas! This is a chapter intended for your cheerful needs. Enjoy!

This is a quest mod from the New Vegas Bounties III

Flashback 1: The Frosthill Massacre

*Chris' POV*
*3 Weeks Before Sunset's Arrival*

I felt betrayed by the faction I slowly started to trust. My opinions on NCR have steeply darkened to the point I just usually see them as a disposable faction, all thanks to their cowardly snake; Mr. Brookshire. That asshole just used US as pawns, like he thinks that the 'NCR' has the most impact on the Mojave. Well, think again.

Theres a reason why you don't fuck with a courier. You bring them down. They rise back up, stronger than ever before. And with a determined state of vengeance they have. They'll wreak destruction onto those who opposed them and they ALWAYS. GET. WHAT. THEY. WANTED. And it's always the one who tried to bury them gets a heated rebar to their eye sockets.

And this is why, I get what I wanted to:

Revenge. And painted the last road for the Legendary Man in Black himself.

But even I done it, I felt... empty. Somehow.

*Unknown Location- Possibly Randall's camp- Deep Creek Mountains*

"*Grunt* Fucking. Heavy. Bitch *grunt* Fucking moving this pile of shit or what? Why-*Wheeze*- why we don't just shoot the fucker?"

"Brookshire said to take this one with Randall, it's a part of the deal. Fuck up, and we won't get paid."

"Why the fuck are we hauling them into town, when will we'll be getting paid?"

"Relax, Brooks will said that we'll get paid. Once the business in town was settled now, here's the brahmin. Let's load 'em up."

*Groan*

"Careful, one of them's coming around. Keep that hood on. Here, *The sound of a baton unfolds* this should take care of 'em."

*THWACK*

*A town of Frosthill*

My head felt like it's been hit like a ton of bricks. I then felt the concussion starts to subside. As I slowly opened my eyes, I was met with a sight that I cannot comprehend; the entire townsfolk of Frosthill was being tied up infront of the Saloon, children included. Across the townsfolk, are the traitorous Bounty Hunters, armed with Hunting Shotguns. To my left I see. I see Randall tied up. And to my right, I see Ford. And my anger rising, he leans forward and looks at me with a smug look on his face.

"What is the meaning of this!? You have no rights to detain us!" one of the inhabitants yelled.

"COWARDS! EVERY ONE OF YOU!"

Then, a familiar figure enters my vision on my right as he emerged behind Ford. When he comes to face me, my eyes slowly widened. The Man in Black looks like Virgil and-

'Wait a second. He's Marko all along.' I thought in disbelief.

My shock was being left out as Marko began to talk to me.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." he said "You honestly can't be surprised that it's me, can you? Virgil is my favourite alias, given the literary roots." he narrowed his eyes for a second before returning back to it's state as he slightly smirked "Your expression right now... forgive the cliche, but it truly is priceless. If Brookshire had only known what this was worth to me..." my eyes narrowed at the mention of Brookshire. That cunt, Marko noticed it and confirms my suspicions against Brookshire "That's right, Brookshire wasn't inclined to consider the fate of the townspeople, much less you... when weighed against a supply of silver."

'So he sold Me, Randall and the fine folks of Frosthill; for a worthless pile of metal!?' I angrily thought about Brookshire's shady schemes.

"I'm sure what your political leanings are, but if you consider yourself a patriot of the NCR, that must be really, really sting." he slowly shakes his head in false pity "In this moment of unforseen, inconceivable reversal you must be thinking, 'How did this happen?' It boils down to one simple characteristics: resolve. When you killed Sergio, I... resolved to make you suffer to your last breath."

'So he's actually pretty protective of his brother, how quaint.' I inwardly chuckled darkly at the memories of Sergio's corpse rot at the streets of Valle De Hierro.

"Maybe you're thinking of ways to break from your binds, disarm me, kill the guards, save the day... not this time." he shook his head "Whatever happens next, you're going to be utterly powerless to stop me. Doesn't that just burn you up?" he taunted, and he's correct. I am really burned up, to unoriginally shoot him in the head "If you didn't have that gag, I can only imagine what you might be saying." I inwardly thought about to tell him to 'fuck off' but I'll hold it "Well, I'm a cautious fellow, so I want to be safe. I can't risk any interruptions during my theatrics. Nothing is worse than a distruptive audience." he pulls out his revolver and points the barrel towards me.

Suddenly, Ford grabs my forelegs and held my Fore-hooves above me with a wicked smile on his face.

"Got hold of him, Marko!" Ford shouted.

Marko silently nods in approval as he then aim and shoots two .357 hollow-points towards both of my hooves in a rapid succession. And they both hit their marks. I audibly grunt in pain as the unbearable shattered lead lodged themselves into my hooves. Ford then releases his grip on me and then he returned to his post while I audibly hissed in pain.

"Ah, right through the hooves. That does look painful. You won't be opening any jars again, much less handling a weapon. Even with the pain, I wonder if you're consumed by rage... or dread. Neither benefits you, but dread suggests an honesty that I have to admire." he then narrowed his eyes "Were you expecting a fair fight? A climactic showdown in the street? Sergio tried it that way, didn't he? My brother had heart, I'll give him that." I internally scoffed at the mention of his brother again "I've never had a mind for fair fights, though I've won my share." he then leaned forward "I prefer domination... and most importantly, survival. That's all that matters." he then straightens his posture.

My eyes still narrowed in anger as I let them subtly drift towards the townsfolk of Frosthill. One of the children looked at me and my eyes soften as the boy stared towards me with teary eyes. He almost resemble my brother... he then silently mouthed 'please, help us.' my gaze then returned as I then look back at Marko.

"You wanted to speak, don't you? No doubt you have pithy retort or some eloquent overture that would convince me to throw down my arms." he quietly scoffed "Not tonight. This time you'll be silent, like a dog following its owner. Or, in your terms, like a dumb horse obeying its owner. When this is over, you'll acknowledge me as your master." he continues to taunt as my glare at him intensified.

"You're going to beg for death. You'll pray to God for it to end, but he won't listen. Only when you pray to me will you gain release." he then smugly smirks "But that can wait. Right now I'm an official agent of the New California Republic, warden of their new outpost in Frosthill. In my administration, law and order will be upheld without exception. Why not get off to a strong start here and now?"

Due to the townspeople overheard everything he said, when he mentions about a 'strong start'. They began to beg him to spare them. While some who knows me, tried to tell me to get up and fight.

"Please, please don't do this!"

*Sobbing*

"Courier, please. Save us!"

I only close my eyes and wish this shouldn't happen to them.

He then have his back turn to me as he faces towards the pleading townsfolk "*Ahem* By the investment in me by the New California Republic, I hereby authorize these agents of the justice system to collect on lawful bounties." he then gestures the bounty hunters to open fire.

And they eagerly complied, as a hail of buckshots began to fly. Hitting the townsfolk and... the children with nothing but multiple metal pellets embedded into their skulls. Luckily, their death was quick. Me and Randall, the remaining prisoners of Marko, watched the massacre with wide eyes as we helplessly witness the townsfolks' demise. I really wanted to close my eyes again, but I can't. Without any survivors remaining, they stopped firing and then they admire their masterpiece.

Multiple bodies piled onto the streets. Crimson blood coat the whitest snow and the brown wood of the saloon with it. Most of the bodies was mutilated to the point of being un-recognisable. What gained my attention though, is that boy. He, he survives. But had multiple pellet wounds onto his legs and stomach as he began crying in pain. One of the bounty hunters noticed as she began walking towards the boy.

She then crouch down and face him with a wide grin on her face "Aw, does the little boy have a boo, boo?" she makes a fake sad expression and coos as she then points the barrel of her shotgun toward the boy's head "Here, your good auntie have a medicine for you."

*BOOM*

"Hahaha, the look of his face. He just goes, Plop!" she laughs as the rest of the bounty hunters joined in the chorus of laughter.

Marko then faces back to me "So it was done... all according to the law." he said as he then walk towards Randall. He then looks down at Steven with a frown "Randall, Randall, Randall. You came so far only to taste the bitterness of defeat again. Deep down, you knew it would end this way. Ford, your aqcuire eager to betray Mister Randall. Why don't you do the honors?"

Ford then complies as he then marches towards Randall with an angered expression and a shotgun in hand. As he reaches towards his destination. He readied his firing posture. Pumps the shotgun to make sure its loaded. Aim the barrel towards Randall's head. After a few seconds of him holding his breath, he closed his eyes. And he then pulls the trigger.

*BOOM*

Randall's head caved in by the blast. What was left of him was his decapitated body as his head was being obliterated by the force of the blast, leaving only a twitching spine at what was basically the stump of his neck. My eyes widen in shock, accompanied with tears that my friend, Randall. Was... gone. I then heard a weapon being dropped as I saw Ford wiping his tears in his own emotional breakdown.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" he cried.

Marko then walk towards me and stops "Now... what are we going to do with you?" he questioned me as I glared at him "I could put a round in your head, make it quick, clean. Then again, that's been tried. I don't fear failure so much as being... unoriginal. No I've got something better in mind. You ever heard stories of drunks being buried alive?" my heart stops at what he meant as I slightly squinted my eyes by the memories, he continues "Since you're not in a position to speak, I'll take your indigant squinting as a 'yes', so I'll continue. When a man is buried alive in say, a coffin, he might have thirty minutes or so to live. Trust me, I know. I've seen it firsthand."

Flashes of Benny shot me in the head and left me buried in Goodsprings Cemetery emerged. My body slightly trembles by the memory of being buried alive. I've been there once Marko. You're not the only one. But that's only that I'm unconscious. And this, this is when I am conscious now.

he crosses his arms against his chest as he explains "It's one heck of an interrogation technique, acting like you're burying them. I leave them down there for a bit, then pull them up. They always come up gasping, a few even lose their minds in that short span. I guess it's the darkness... and the noise." he then leans down and propped his hands against his knees for support "Imagine... your breathing is strained, dust fills your mouth and eyes, and you hear the weight of earth shifting above you. It's inexorable death." he returns his posture "That's why I saved you for last... I want you to feel that terror as you dwell on what transpired here tonight, how you were beaten." I silently snarled at him and he ignores it.

"No matter how hard you are, the terror will take you eventually. In that moment, when you're wishing for it all to end, just remember..." He then unclasp the baton on his waist and gripped it tightly "I was the one man who beat you, and that's what people will remember, what they'll say for years to come." he then extends the baton "It isn't just your body that I'm burying tonight. It's your legend."

*THWACK*

And then he swung the baton at the left side of my head with enough force which causes me to black out.

*A while later*

"'Ey, boss, you sure you don't want me to shoot 'em first?"

"No, I want the Courier to suffer to the last. You hear that, friend? Of course you can, even with that hood on. Is the coffin comfy? Just so you know, I'm putting you in an unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere.

From a legal standpoint, you will have simply... vanished. You're going to be just another anonymous stiff. You afraid now? Just let it wash over you, don't fight it. You're so close to the end. I wonder how you're might have molded the Mojave if you'd lived. I'm sure people will speculate to no end.

They'll forget you though... they always do. At this moment of acute reflection, I wonder if you appreciate the futility of your efforts. Your mentor is dead. Really dead. I'll face no legal or governmental consequences - quite the contrary. I'll become a respected citizen... leading this town while the worms gnaw on your rotting corpse. You remember that when the air thins out. If you could do it all over again, would you even come here?"

*THUNK, THUNK, THUNK*

"So much to ponder in the darkness. Rest easy. Close it up, boys!"

*Third POV*
*A few minutes Later*

As soon as Marko left the place and headed back towards Frosthill, leaving the two bounty hunters alone with the coffin. Behind the shrub in the forest, a lone figure accompanied with a dog, stares at the two men who started to dug the dirt back into the hole. With quick thinking, the figure then threw a flashbang at the unobservant traitors.

*BANG*

The 2 hunters then dropped their shovels as they're screaming in surprise from the effects of the flashbang. The figure then unclipped his Baton and extends it as he then rushes out from his hiding spot. And he hit them in the back of their head as the hunters then fell down to the floor, unconscious.

As he stared down at the 2 former acquaitances, he then collapsed the baton and clipped it onto his waist. He then unwraps his bandana to reveal himself as Thorne, an African American who was a bounty hunter like them, emphasis on 'was'. He then look at the woods to whistle out someone. A dog then emerges from the bushes and was standing loyally beside Thorne as the man then quickly grabbed the shovel and digging out the dirt with haste. With the dirt removed, he see a coffin covered in dirt. Without any time to think, he quickly bring it out from the hole and thinking about how to opened it.

He then noticed a hammer on the bed of the wagon, without hesitation, he grabbed it and use the hoof to unwedge the nails. After he removes the nails, he then opened the coffin.

He then see an unconscious stallion who was covered in dust, dirt and blood. His left cheek have a visible wound that still stream down blood, his forehooves was filled shrapnel caused by the hollowpoint. He noticed that the stallion was still breathing but shallow, then he used his remaining strength to grab the stallion out of the coffin. With a passenger on his back. He then began walking towards an abandoned shack near the town of Frosthill. Carrying an unconscious pony in tow.

*Chris' POV*
*Hours later*

As I begin to gain consciousness, I then saw mutliple memories flashing towards me. Then they showed a vivid images of me in the coffin, causing me to lunged forward and began to scream. Only for me to cough up dust. After having a coughing fit and managed to get the dust out of my lungs. I opened my eyes to see where I am.

I'm believe in a familiar shack of- Fuck. Trapped in that coffin must've really hit hard on me as I can't remember properly. I then placed both my hooves on the bed as I slowly started to sit up. Grunting in pain all the way as my wounds are still recent, with enough strength I can muster. I managed to stand up onto all four of my hooves, albeit a bit wonky as my forelegs visibly trembles from the pain by that .357 hollow-points.

After I managed to regain my balance, I then looked around the place properly and I saw 2 sleeping figures. One is a sleeping dog on the carpet which I know is Cooper. And the other, is Thorne who was sleeping on his chair near the fireplace. Or, I thought so.

Thorn leans back against the chair and acknowledged me "And the dead shall rise and walk the earth. I wasn't sure if you'd make it, but here you are, on your f- um, I mean hooves no less." he said with a hint of relief.

I tried to balance myself on three hooves as I placed my recently bandaged hoof onto my head "H- how did I end up here?" I asked as I then carefully placed my hoof back down. Slightly cringe from the pain.

"Tracked Marko and his boys after... what happened in town. Saw they aimed to bury you alive, so I've watched and waited. Marko cleared out and left a pair of men behind, so I slipped in and took them down with a flash-bang and a few smacks with my baton. Then I went digging as fast as possible, found you unconscious but breathing. Lucky for you that doc has some blood on his stores." he explained.

Thorne then continues "I managed to get you up here in the dark, got that blood in you, then patched up that bloody cheek and then your hooves, not without removing those lead first of course." he slightly smirks "You're damn lucky, you know that?"

I then sit back onto the bed and check my bandaged hooves. Thanks to the wounds Marko gave to me, my forelegs visibly shaken as I'm trying to keep it steady. With a critical eye, I then saw that my wounds looks properly treated.

I then look at Thorne with a confused look "The treatment you mentioned requires some skill. Where did you learn to practice medicine?" I asked as I rest my shaken fore-hooves onto my lap.

"The Followers of the Apocalypse. I was a physician for a time, enjoyed helping people. That was all I wanted to do as a young man." he replied with a saddened look "But when you see good people get hurt and nothing is done, nothing changes... it can move you to action. I thought I could make things right." he then looks at both his hands and clenched them and relaxes as he look back at me "That's why I hunted men down for so long. It was never about money. Every one I gunned down was a tiny piece of justice for what I'd lost." his tone darkened as he goes on "You do it for enough time and you stop seeing them as men. They're everything you hate... everything you fear... personified."

His tone then returned back to normal "Maybe I can go back to the Followers, start practicing again somewhere, start over. I'm done killing, though. That I can promise you." he said with a solemn tone.

My eyes narrowed as I gave him a questioning look "Why aren't you running with the other 'bounty hunters', then?" I asked with a slight snarl at the word 'bounty hunters', those assholes doesn't have the rights to earn those titles.

Thorne frowned "I'm done hunting anyone or anything. What they did... it was simple butchery." he then covers his face with his palms and shakes his head "God help me, I'll never forget it." he place them down onto his lap and looks back at me "To hell with the bounty hunters." he sneered.

I nod my head twice before looking at him "So, why did you help me, then?" I asked as I slowly rub my hooves and exhale steam in-between them as the snowstorm starts to set in by the temperature drop.

Behind his sunglasses, Thorne's eyes wander down as he slightly bit his cheek. Then he explains the plans "I knew something was going down when Brookshire pulled us aside before the op," he then grit his teeth "told everyone there would be bounties on the townspeople. Including children." Unbeknownst to him, my right hoof starts to clench tightly as my wound re-opened, painting the white bandage red in growing rage "He told us to keep our mouth shut and follow Marko's lead when the time came. Most everyone nodded and smiled, didn't even question him." tiny lead then pokes out from the bloodied bandage as he continues "I had no loyalty to Randall, but it bothered me regardless. Brookshire told us to round everyone up in town, that he would handle you."

"That. Fucking. Spineless. Coward." I muttered under my breath as my right silver-furred hoof was now covered in liquid crimson of blood, causing it to drip onto the bed.

Thorne's arms started to tremble "I didn't know what he had in store. I mean, I thought they'd capture everybody and haul them back for a trial. That's what they're supposed to do." he said with slight surprise by the NCR's not-so forte about handling criminals "I also didn't know that Brookshire would trade you and Randall out. I thought he would just tell you to 'fuck off', in typical NCR fashion." his hands started to shake uncontrollably "See, they had me posted up at the church, waiting with a rifle in case you tried anything. In clear view of everything, that's for sure." my eyes narrowed at him and he raise his shaken hands in defense.

"I didn't know they'd kill them all right there, let Marko kill Randall..." he looked at his hands as they continue to shake "I should have done something, but I just... I just froze." he looked at me with a genuinely scared expression "Marko was in the crosshairs, but I couldn't... I couldn't do it. I was... I was scared. Goddamn shameful fucking coward, that's what I am." he admits.

My right hoof stops shaking as I looked at him with sympathy "You- you're clearly suffering from post traumatic stress. It will take time to move past this." I said as I use my stimpak from the dirt-covered pockets of my tattered duster. Injecting the drug into my system, my left hoof began to heal slowly as the synthetic tissue began to mend with the others while my right hoof never, ever heals.

Thorne chuckles "'Physician heal thyself", huh? Yeah, you might be right. I..." he closed his eyes and sighs "I don't wanna talk about it, ok? You saw what happened. No use dwelling now."

I look down, contemplating myself in thought, until I realized something as I look back at Thorne "Where's Marko?" I asked.

"He left town to bury Randall's body. He must've thought pretty highly of him, because the rest were buried in a mass grave." he replied "When I last want into town to nab supplies I saw most of the hunters were living it up in the saloon." he leans forward and gave me a blank look "And Ford was with them." the fires in my eyes bursts into a wildfire from the mentioning of Ford.

Before I can talk, Thorne interrupted me with a question that makes me wonder "Look, I want to leave this place and never look back. I'm making straight for the Mojave, so you're welcome to join me." he suggests.

After he said that, I began to think about it.

'Should I go back to the Mojave, heal myself back to full strength? But that leaves Marko, Ford and most of those dishonorable bastards occupy Frosthill, spreading NCR's lies about the massacre.' I thought about my first option, until I visibly snarled by the mention of them.

'Or, kill them all. Leave the obvious message that the courier should've never be messed with. But, that leaves the town abandoned, taken by the soon-to-be arrived 80's. But fuck it, the reason why NCR wants it is because of those stupid metal.'

With a decision I made for me and myself alone, I looked at Thorne with a vengeful look "I'm not going anywhere until I reckon with Marko." I said with determined tone.

Thorne leans back against his chair, eyebrow raised in surprise "Burning your boats on the shore, huh? Look, if this is how you want to play it, I'll respect your decision." he shrugs "I can't help you, but I'll wait here." he said as the corner of his mouth raised as he scoff "You'll surprise them, they'll probably panic. But don't expect Marko to go easily, though." he took a glance at my wounded hooves before looking back at me "You're walking wounded, won't be healed for weeks at least. Marko won't take any chances this time. He'll kill you."

Thorne began to stand up from his chair and walk towards the corner of his shack which have a single backpack, he then crouches down and opened it. He then looks at the contents inside his bag, probably checking the remaining supplies before returning back to Mojave. He closes the bag again and returned back to his chair.

He looks at me with a blank look "Come with me and you can recover, gather resources, then come back later when you'll be on even footing, at least have a chance." he said as his hand reaches out to me "What do you say? Want to live to fight another day?"

I look down at the wooden floor, pondering my decision again. Then, I know that this is for Frosthill. And Randall. I look back at Thorne "I-I owe it to Randall to at least try." I said.

Thorne's outstretched hand returns back onto his leg "Debts to dead men will just get you killed for nothing. There's nothing left here for you but regret. You can still help people in the Mojave." he raised his right hand above his knee "I won't stop you, but I won't leave you either. I'll just wait here for a day or two. If you don't come back, I'll just assume the worst and move on." he said "Oh, and here." he reaches behind the chair and brought out my duffle bag "I saved it for you." he then placed it in front of me.

I nodded as I get prepared by bringing my duffle bag and placed it behind the screen, cleaning myself up and removing my old clothing. Wearing a new snow outfit, a woodland boonie and a bandana. I then fished inside the bag and brought out a couple of C-4s, a single time bomb, That Gun, a Combat Knife and... and I hesitantly brought out the last piece and looked at it.

It's Randall's Old-war Remington; Sweet Revenge.

My eyes closed as I then sigh in remorse "This is for you, Randall. And for everyone at Frosthill." I muttered in my breath to not let Thorne hear it. I then exit the screen with my duffle bag in tow. I dropped my duffle bag in front of Thorne who raised his eyebrows "Keep it for me." I looked at the door with narrowed eyes "Because I'm going back out." I said as I reached the door. Closing my eyes and making deep breaths, I then opened it and go outside into the cold storm of Deep Creek Mountains. Settling this once and for all.