Chapter (1): A Start But Not a Fresh One
! Attention !: I am going on vacation so there will only be one chapter this coming up week on Wednesday. So Don't be alarmed when there is no chapter on Saturday.
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"Good you're finally awake," my head snapped to my right hearing an old weathered but experienced voice. I faced the man hearing words that would remain in my mind forever, "Seems your road is going to be tough, right son?"
Not hearing the man's words well I responded, "Huh?"
The man unperturbed repeated himself, "I said that it seemed like you have a rough road ahead," he finished before he got a suspicious look, "Say, do you remember what happened to you son?" he asked worriedly
"Yeah," I quickly replied. I had the general gist surrounding why I was sitting in a bed with a wrap covering my skull, and I didn't want to be reminded of that reason.
"Are you sure?," he said before sighing sadly, "I don't know who you got involved with, but they are certainly part of the rougher crowd,"
Ignoring his concern I replied, "Yeah that tracks what I recall," I said before going to sit up.
I winced as I banged my head on the headrest of the bed the doctor moved to support me, "Easy there, it's a miracle you are still above ground. Just take it slow for now," he said before his face lit up, "How about we start with some basic questions. Make sure that thing on your shoulders is still workin' right," he said as I settled down sitting upright facing him with a blanket covering my lower body.
"Lets start with your name, do you remember your name?" he asked inquisitively
I focused on trying to recall my name, "Ah," I vocalized as a sharp pain shot through the front of my head like a bolt of lightning, "No, I don't," I said shortly massaging the top of my head.
"I see," he nodded sadly, "That bullet did a number on your head, I wouldn't be surprised if your memory is a bit foggy or is missing some parts," he said comforting me, "Well," he said looking down before returning his eyes to me with a stern expression, "Do you know what you did before the 'incident'?" he asked.
"You mean what was my job before some two-bit gangster shot me in my head?" I asked annoyed that the event was brought up.
"Well if that's how you want to put it," he said breaking our eye contact to look away.
I tightened my jaw as he tried to move on, "I don't have some way to put it," I spoke slowly stopping him in his tracks. I stared unblinking as I continued, "That's the way it is, right?" I finished and sat there slowly breathing while not letting my eyes leave him.
With a bit of fear in his eyes he responded, "I am just trying to help you, kid, if you don't wanna accept that then I don't know what else I can do for you," he said scooting his chair back ever so slightly.
"I am sorry it has been stressful doc, thanks for patching me up," I said de-escalating my intensity and breaking my stare down. I still needed him while I am in the state that I am, and he might have some information that might help me.
"I hear ya, don't worry about it kid," he said immediately forgiving me, "I checked the clothes you were in to see if I could find any type of identification, but the only thing I found was this note," he said handing me a piece of paper, "That mean anything to you?"
I read the note being more confused after finishing than before starting. The note was as follows:
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To: Courier 6
I delivered the package like you told me. This makes us even Six! I have been putting up with your bullshit since what happened in Hopeville. And that wasn't even my fault! How was I supposed to know the package I gave you was a detonator for some pre-war bombs??? Anyway I did everything you asked, and Nash will be waiting for you so make sure to bring the payment for package collection when you go to grab it. Otherwise it'll be my head, you know what I am going to stay in town for a while just so you don't screw me.
See ya then,
Jimmy Blanton
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"Now why don't you try to get up, and make your way over to this machine. I need to do a test and make sure that your body is working correctly now that you are awake," he said before walking over to a 'Vit-o-matic! Vigor Tester' and standing beside it.
I pulled the blanket towards the house's wall uncovering my bare legs and underwear to the warm Mojave air in the home. Slowly I swiveled my hips and sat with my feet touching the floor, 'I can at least have feeling in my feet,' I thought thankful that I wasn't paralyzed otherwise my plans for revenge would become significantly more difficult, and much less satisfying.
I then ripped the band-aid off quickly and stood up before walking normally over to the machine. My body felt a bit more sluggish than usual, but I still passed the quasi-movement test, "Alright lets see how you are," the doctor said before explaining how the machine worked and administering the test to see my physical attributes.
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"Now lets see here," he said pulling a slip of paper that the machine had spat out after the completion of the test. He pulled a pair of reading glasses out from a pocket in his pants and slowly read line by line the results of the test, "Well it seems right, here take a look," he said before handing me the paper
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Congratulations! You are S.P.E.C.I.A.L!!!
Strength: 3 (Doughy Baby)
Perception: 7 (Big-Eyed Tiger)
Endurance: 4 (Handle With Care)
Charisma: 5 (Substitute Teacher)
Intelligence: 8 (Know-it-All)
Agility: 9 (Acrobatic Marvel)
Luck: 4 (Spilled Salt)
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I took in the results of the test without much interest. This was how I was AFTER getting shot in the fucking head and then being left for dead. It was a bit surprising, but from the little I remembered, I knew that I was an ace with a gun and could break into anything secure. Whether it required hacking a terminal or picking a lock I was the guy if you wanted to be somewhere you shouldn't have been or weren't allowed.
"I must say, most patients don't get out of bed after being shot and move perfectly," he said where I gave him another stare he didn't notice, "And looking at that intelligence score-," he whistled, "Maybe that bullet did some good for you, huh?" he bumped me with my elbow as he smiled joking with me. I simply stared back unamused.
"Ahem," he coughed breaking up the silence, "You better be going then. I need to sanitize and clean everything up before my next patient," he said quickly gesturing towards the door before stopping in his tracks and deeply sighing, "Wait for a moment," he seemed to say reluctantly before slipping behind me into a bedroom at the end of the hall.
I stood there waiting calmly, before looking at a shelf to my left. I slowly scanned it making my way down the rusted metal platforms before my gaze landed on something: stimpacks. Stimpacks from what I could recall were essential for travelling through the wastes. They were a cure-all that could help with recovery, healing, diseases, sickness, and who knows what else. I wanted them.
I slowly reached my hand out planning to shove a few under my shirt and tucked into the band of my underwear while the doctor wasn't looking. Before I could the door in the hall opened and closed once again. I immediately changed my grab to a post and acted like I was simply leaning on the shelf just as the doctor walked into the corner with...
"We can't have you going out into the wastes looking like that," he motioned to my 'bare essentials' package, with clothes, and a pair of brown boots and he held in his hand a strange wristband-looking item, "Here these are some clothes I used to wear when I was younger. Now I used to be a much bigger boy so they may be big, try them on," he finished handing me the clothes and quickly ushered me into the room.
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'I look like a damn cowboy,' I said looking at the reflection of myself in a full-length mirror. I wore brown dried leather boots in a Western-style that had no unique features besides the slot on the back of the heel for a set of spurs. My lower body was covered in light blue jeans that were baggy and hung touching the top of the foot of the boot, my upper was clothed with a long-sleeved button-up white shirt and brown jacket with so many pockets it would make your head spin.
I closed the door behind me placing a black stetson hat covering my chestnut hair and turned to see the doctor fiddling with the weird arm brace thing, "Ya know I never caught your name," I said snapping him out of his concentration.
"You can just call me Doc or Doc Mitchell. That's what everyone else around these parts call me," he said before uttering, "Aha!" in triumph he put the brace on my left wrist as I held it out for him already guessing what he wanted to do.
"You mind telling me what you are slapping on my arm?" I said curious as to the doctor's actions.
"This is something issued to me while I was a resident in the vault over at the strip. It's called a Pip-boy 3000 a mobile database for its wearer," he said explaining to me its purpose, "It can keep track of any data file and record any piece of paper after one quick scan. The little thing keeps track of your health and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. score and it even has a radio," he finished flipping the screen over and tapping a radio frequency listed as 'Radio New Vegas'.
An immediate sound played through the 'Pip-boy's' speakers:
"♪ Yippi Yay! There'll be no wedding bells for today! ♪"
"♪ Cause I got spurs that Jingle-Jangle-Jingle (Jingle-Jangle)- ♪"
"Oh and by the way, now I know you seem to be a little 'touchy' about the circumstances that led you to my doctor's office," he said gauging my expression before continuing, "It seems that you and the one in the suit have unfinished business. Now I don't know em, but the one who dug you up and brought you to me was a robot, a Securitron that goes by the name Victor I believe. He might know something so ask him. Also if you want go down to the saloon and look for a woman by the name of Sunny Smiles. She would be an expert of just about anything around these parts," he finished.
"I'll pass on that last part," I said stretching my hand, I was eager to get my gun back. I turned off the Pip-boy getting the general idea of the device and its functions but I was confused, "Why are you doing all this for me?" I asked suspicious of the old man's motives.
He rubbed the back of his bald head before somberly speaking, "I felt it was the right thing to do to save you, and I feel that you, young man will need all the things that you can get for the path you have ahead of you," seeing my expression that I was not convinced he continued, "My wife passed on a few years ago now, and I am certain I don't have much time left myself. I guess I am afraid of the end, and I thought that maybe I could get in the good lord's graces by doing some good,"
"Besides," he smiled sadly, "I won't be usen' them anymore," he said before turning to walk towards the door. To which I followed him with a couple of steps between the two of us, I didn't respond to what he said and simply wanted to leave so that I could find Benny before he ran back to his rat nest.
He stopped just before the door out of his house and turned to face me, "Well if you are ever in town stop by," he said before his face lit up recalling a question to ask, "Hey I forgot to ask, what should I call you? I try to keep track of every patient I work on," he asked inquisitively
I stepped past him grabbing the door handle not bothering to turn and face him instead I looked down at the knob turning as I thought of what I should go by. Seeing as my name is now lost. My mind turned as I thought until I remembered the note he had brought up earlier and finally brought my eyes up to greet the sunny desert landscape outside. I turned my face slightly to the left so that my voice could be heard over my shoulder.
"Courier 6"