Ch. 28 Meeting the Gangers

[ Objective Complete

- Beagle wants a new sheriff for Primm. He suggested an ex-sheriff at NCRCF and the NCR as potential candidates

- •Meyers, a former sheriff from NCRCF, is willing to be sheriff of Primm if he gets a pardon from the NCR•

2/4 Objectives Complete]

Colton just sits there with his dogs behind him. "Well that was easy. Hopefully he doesn't die on his way there"

He gets up and his dogs follow him. But then he turns towards the door that leads to the courtyard. "I'm already here so why don't I meet this Eddie guy?"

Colton makes his way out the Visitor Center and into the courtyard. People walking around or just sitting down doing nothing.

He spits a man walking past him without a shirt. "Excuse me, can you point me at where Eddie currently is?"

The man glances at Colton with his dead eyes. He points at a building. "Eddie is usually in there"

"Thanks" Colton says as he walks past the man. He doesn't want to catch his gloomy mood.

Colton looks at the two story building and compares it to the other one story building. "Guess it makes sense"

The taller one is for the Administration and the other one is for the prisoners.

Inside the administration building it's basically the same as the Visiting Center except there aren't as many bottles on the ground. Colton walks in and enters the first room he sees.

Inside the doorless room Colton sees a man in the corner with a bunch of medical supplies next to him on, under, and around a table. There are also two beds and a knocked over medical cart.

Colton walks up to the man.

The guy sits up. "Heard there was a new face around. And I see you really did whisper to them dogs outside" He looks up at Colton. "I'm the doctor around here... sort of"

"The names Colton. And why are you 'sort of' the doctor here?" Colton stands with his hands at his sides.

The guy makes some gestures as he talk but he starts by pointing his thumb at his own chest. "Hannigan. And I was an NCR medic for six months, so I'm not exactly a "doctor." Still, it's more medical training that any of the other guys here. It also gives me an excuse to stay out of any raiding parties. The gang can't lose its only doctor now, can it?"

Colton observes this chipper guy. Well, compared to all the other Powder Gangers he has met. "What we're you before?"

"Let's see..." Hannigan counts off his fingers. "I've been a farmhand, a bouncer, a bandit, and an NCR trooper" He looks to Colton and drops his hand. "I don't recommend any of them"

"Fair enough. Didn't plan on being any of them anyway" Colton looks at the garbage can behind Hannigan. "So then how did you end up in here?"

Hannigan motions at the medical supplies. "Medical supplies go for a decent amount of caps in the right markets. I figured the quartermaster wouldn't notice any missing. I was wrong" He drops his arms in defeat. "How did you get the dogs to follow you like that?"

Colton looks at the dogs sniffing the air and practically all pointing at the supplies. He shakes his head, weird dogs. "I just saved them from 9 Bark Scorpions and let them eat them after I took their poison glands"

"Neat" Hannigan says as he looks at Raksha.

"So why are you still here?" He asks. It's always good to get as much info as a person will give, unless there are special circumstances.

Hannigan points towards a wall. "The location to the highway makes it a good spot to shake down any travelers passing through. That's why Eddie and the rest are still around" He then points at his face. "Me, I like having big walls between myself and the wasteland. And i I can make some decent caps, just another reason to stick around"

"Do you care if I ask how you all managed to escape? I've heard a bit about Cooke but not much" Colton says as he moves towards the wall to his left and leans his shoulder against it.

Hannigan nods. "I don't mind sharing" He raises his arms. "One night, there was a big explosion from the other cell block" He then points under the desk. "I had no idea what was going on, so I took cover in my bunk" Hannigan then rests his elbows on his thighs. "When it was all over, the guards were dead and we were free. Most of the other prisoners scattered, but a few of us stuck around, obviously"

"Really?" Colton remembers how many people are in the Powder Gangers. "There's a lot of you Powder Gangers, are you sure more people didn't stick around?"

Hannigan scratches behind his right ear. "It's not like I really counted. But a fair number of people left after that night. But I suppose most did stick around"

Colton pushes off the wall. "Well I'm going to see Eddie. I'll see you around Hannigan"

The guy waves. "See ya, and good luck Colton"

With goodbyes being said Colton checked out the rest of the first floor and wasn't too impressed. It didn't have anything besides the medical supplies Hannigan was in charge of.

So Colton went up to the second floor. He saw a guy sitting at a table to his left just outside an open door. Directly infront of Colton was a door that Colton could tell was locked. And to his right was a locked cabinet that Colton assumed guns were in. Or explosives. To the left of the locked door was an open door that had desks and filing cabinets inside. And from outside Colton saw something that made him immediately walk inside like he owned the place.

Luckily nobody was inside so Colton walked over to the desk in the back corner.

"What do you think you're doing?!" A voice calls out to Colton. Footsteps can be heard going towards the room Colton is inside.

"What are y-!" A man steps into the room and sees Colton looking at a pile of ash sitting on the desk.

[ Speech increased by +3 ]

Colton turns to face the man. "Sorry about that, just saw this pile of ash and dust and I wanted to make sure nothing was burning"

The man walks into the room. "Huh, well I'll be damned. I wonder how that got there"

"Yeah, maybe someone dumped their ash tray. But there aren't any cigarette butts" Colton lies through his teeth.

"Thanks for pointing this out. I heard about you and your…." The man looks at the dogs, mainly Raksha. "….dogs. If your lookin for Eddie I can show you to him"

Colton nods. "That'd be great"

The man leaves the room and goes to the door he was sitting outside of.

"What was that racket for?" A gruff voice calls out from the room. None other than Eddie himself.

"Sorry sir. But the new arrival has stopped by to visit you" The man says into the room before going back to his seat to let Colton through.

Colton has a big smile on his face, mostly from his now 89 Speech. He walks into the room and is immediately stopped by a Powder Ganger Bodyguard.

Colton has to put a hand on Rashka to stop him and the other dogs from attacking the guard.

But Colton gets a clear view of the room. There were plenty of people inside. Most looked to be bodyguards but they were sat to the side on a few couches on the left. At least 9 bodyguards. And a few regular geared Powder Gamgers chilling with them, 4 to be exact.

And there was a bathroom to the right, door nice and wide open. Place stunk like shit.

In the center of the room, near the back wall was a man sitting behind the Warden's desk and a Powder Ganger with a mohawk hairstyle next to him leaning on the wall.

The mohawk guy also had an eyepatch. Who knows if it's there for a reason or just for aesthetics.

The man at the desk was about average build and height. He had slicked back orange hair. But he had a stern and serious look on his face. This was Eddie.

And behind Eddie was a terrible painting next to a wall safe. The painting looked like it was of the NCR President. But the Powder Gangers had graffitied it. Now he, the president, looked more like a she. But not in a good way. Some makeup and accessories were drawn on it. And the name of the President was changed to Peaches.

This reminded Colton of a certain plumber from his other life.

Colton waves at Eddie. "You must be Eddie, my name is Colton"

Eddie scowls and scans Colton from head to toe. "Dawes said he let somebody in. And there's been word about a dog whisperer. So, you going to give me a reason not to kill you and throw your body back outside and let your dogs pick it apart?"

Colton raises an eyebrow. "Not here for a fight. Just looking around. I can help you out if you need something done. I'd say I'm pretty good with my guns"

Colton doesn't want to just disrespect the head honcho in a prison. It's a good way to end up exactly as Eddie threatened. Plus if he can get on their good side it'll be easier to wipe them out. He might even be able to do that from the inside if he plays his cards right.

Eddie looks at the sniper rifle over Colton's shoulder. "Ok, I'll bite" He leans back and kicks his feet up on the desk. "This is Powder Ganger territory - my territory. Most of the guys around here understand that. One, Chavez, doesn't. Chavez formed his own crew and have been hitting traders on their own. Everybody I've sent after him either got killed or weren't able to catch him" Eddie points his index and middle finger at Colton. "That leaves you. What do you say?"

Colton pretends to think. "I'll do it. But I'm gonna need some info on them. How many, and where would be a good place to start"

Eddie smiles wickedly. "Good. Good. I like a man who is thorough and doesn't waste my time. Chavez and his boys were last seen south of here. If you're lucky and he's careless, he might still be there. There is about 11 men besides Chaevez"

Colton nods. "Consider it taken care of"

Eddie stands up and reaches his hand out. "Gre-"

"But I have some other questions related to the prison" Colton interrupts Eddie as he takes his hand and shakes it.

"Make it quick. And don't interrupt me again" Eddie threatens.

"Alright. Firstly, how did the breakout happen? Heard some Cooke was involved?" Colton asks as he studies Eddie's face.

The Powder Ganger leader sits back in his seat and puts his feet back up on the desk as he grabs a cigarette and has the mohawk guy light it. "It was all Cooke's idea. He and his boys managed to swipe some dynamite and hide it away in their cells" Eddie takes a puff from his cigarette and exhales slowly before continuing. "The rest of us just tagged along. Cooke's crew headed north while the rest of us stuck around for payback"

"Payback against the NCR. I can understand that" Colton shifts his weight to his left leg as he crosses his arms across his chest. "Those bastard hunted me and my parents. I was the lucky one. If you can call being stuck in the Mojave Wasteland lucky"

"Shit kid. Well you kill Chaevez and another job and I'll be happy to include you in some of our bouts with the NCR in the future. And if you're as good a shot as you say you are we can have a great time pissing on the NCR" Eddie takes another puff.

"Music to my ears" Colton smiles evilly which makes the mohawk guy shift around uncomfortably. "So what can you tell me about this prison. I've heard bits and pieces but nothing worth the time to listen"

Eddie looks at the ceiling as he blows smoke up into the air. "The NCR called it a 'work-release' prison. We lucky prisoners got the privilege of fixing up the rail lines and blasting rock for new lines" He takes another hit. "They got sloppy, though. Some of us managed to hide away some dynamite, and look who's in charge now"

"NCR probably thought you prisoners were below them and got comfy. Sounds like the shit they do. Guess you showed them" Colton rubs their ego a bit.

"Fuck yeah we did. Shoved a stick up one guys ass. You can probably still find bits and pieces of him around the courtyard. A little cruel for my tastes but we cleaned what we could" Eddie states.

"Where is Cooke and what's he plannin?" Colton asks. He hopes this doesn't over step where he stands with the Gangers.

Eddie shrugs. "If I knew more I wouldn't tell you. But all I know is he and his crew went north. I heard talk about some sort of 'big plan' to get back at the NCR, but haven't seen them since. And Cooke is one mean son of a bitch. Really, truly hates the NCR for some reason, and he got a lot of the other guys around to his way of thinking"

Colton nods his head. "Well it isn't hard to find people who don't like the NCR. And a NCR prison is a great way to find them" Colton shifts his pack. "Ah, that reminds me. Do you guys need some cigarettes?"

"Cigarettes?" Eddie asks, confused how the conversation took that turn.

Colton nods. "Yeah, I've gotten a few and I'd be willing to sell em to you guys"

Eddie points at the mohawk guy to his left. "Talk with scrambler here about that. Anything else?"

Colton shakes his head. "Nah, I'll sell some cigs and be on my way to deal with Chaevez"

Eddie waves Scrambler and Colton out. "Then get on with it. I want this thorn out of my side"

Scrambler looks at Eddie with his one eye.

"Not you you dumbass! Cheavez!" Eddie shouts.

Colton and Scrambler exit the room and walk into the room where Colton found the [Lying Congressional Style] book.

"So why do they call you Scrambler?" Colton asks out of genuine curiosity.

Scrambler leans his ass against a desk at the back of the room. " Why? It's because I mess up people so bad they don't know what part goes where when I'm done" He says like it's common sense.

"So what did you do when the prison break happened?" Colton looks around the room as he stands in the middle of it.

"Trying to get the puzzle situated? Do you ask everyone here that?" Scrambler wonders but cuts himself off. "Whatever. I'll answer your questions then take your cigarettes. And to break out we used dynamite. Dynamite. Lots and lots of dynamite. You should've seen the body parts flying everywhere"

"So what did you do to end up in this prison? And do you know what Eddie did to get in here?" Colton didn't ask Eddie since he probably wouldn't have answered.

Scrambler smiles. "Eddie is none of my business and it sure as hell ain't any of your fuckin business. But I can tell you that I didn't do much, just killed a bunch of people. Maybe a couple of kids, too. Whatever"

Colton feels a switch get flipped. Fuckin child murderers. And he's sure that Scrambler probably gave them the priest treatment too. He just gives the vibe of a child tickler. "So what do you do around here?" He dangerously asks.

Scrambler leans back on his arms behind him. "I keep an eye on my buddy Eddie. Anybody messes with him and I scramble them real good. And I deal with the Cigarettes of the place. Believe it or not cigarettes go for a pretty cap around here"

Well that answers Colton's previous dalema of pretty penny. But it doesn't make him feel very good. "Alright, let's get this over with"

Colton takes his pack off and begins taking the packages and cartons of cigarettes out. And it causes Scramblers eye to jump out of its socket as caps rain out of the socket and from behin his eyepatch.

"Ok. How about 300 caps for the lot?" Scrambler says, trying to mask his greed.

Colton stands up. "Nuh-uh buddy. These are at least 1,000 caps worth. I just came from Primm so I know these are worth a bit more than 300. And I came all the way here"

Scrambler folds his arms over his chest. "But it's not the reason you came here. And I still have to make a profit for Eddie so how about 400?"

Colton moves a carton with his foot. "Still, I'm gonna at least need 800 caps" Colton thinks about it. "How about this. I've gotta get these off my back anyways so I can deal with Chaevez. Why don't we say…." Colton rocks his head side to side. "…..500 caps but when I come back you cut me a deal on a few things around here. Like if I wanna buy some dynamite or some chems. And spreading my name wouldn't be bad"

Scrambler glares at Colton. "450 caps. We see if you come back alive and then I'll get you a small discount around here. And I'll spread your name around if you live"

Colton steps over the cigarettes. "450 caps and a small discount. Deal"

Scrambler takes a pouch of caps out from his back pocket and takes 50 out before tossing the rest to Colton. "Don't move and I'll check the quality just to make sure"

Scrambler could tell these weren't opened yet. But he's rather double check.

——————

Colton walks out of the Administration Facility with a lighter pack but plenty of caps in his pockets. His dogs following him out.

And when he sees the sun begin setting he isn't too pleased. But…

[ Quest Added: [I Fought the Law] ]

[ New Objective:

- •Deal with Chaevez•

0/1 Objectives Complete ]

At least it would be some easy experience. And he still had to get a pardon for Meyers…..

"How am I supposed to get that pardon again? Shit…." Colton scratches his head. Hopefully the NCR at Primm could do it but they seemed a little too low on the totem pole.

"Whelp! Might as well go shank a bitch!" Colton exclaims as everyone in the courtyard turns to look at him. He scratches his neck. "The bitch being Chaevez guys! None of you"

Everyone goes back to doing their own thing. But most keep an eye on Colton and his dogs.

"Let's get going" Colton says to Raksha and he exits the NCRCF