Nuclear Winter

*BANG*

Watching the legionaries head explode as his body comically fell backwards like a plank of wood, Alex switched targets to the man now running away from the headless rag doll.

*BANG*

A hole the size of an orange opened through the side of the man's head, sending brain matter and silly ideologies across the cool desert sand. After the second shot the whole of cottonwood cove started to move.

All the legionaries started to swarm around like ants looking for the sniper, those that realized and started to run towards the overlook dropped with a hole in their chest.

*Bang*

*Bang*

*Bang*

*Click*

Suddenly hitting the mag release and tossing the empty to Boone, Alex grabbed one of the full ones and pushed it back up before pulling the bolt and chambering another round.

"Quick, reload that magazine as fast as you can."

After shouting the order another five shots could be heard less then one and a half seconds after the other, five more legionnaires were pushing daisies just like that.

The legionaries fell fast but kept trying to swarm up the mountain towards Alex and Boone, thanks to the night however the terrain was difficult to navigate and torches made them easy targets.

"Time for a light show Boone."

As soon as the last magazine fell before grabbing the newly filled one from Boone, Alex called up the Evo and gave the command.

Soon 9 heavy auto turrets began to whirl and beep before a click could be heard and the sound of bullets ripped through the air and then the legionnaires that had started to crawl up the mountain overlooking cottonwood.

Alex had taken command of the turrets while he was in the armory's computer terminal, he had to drag as many legionnaires past the turrets as he could. Out of approximately 150 legionnaires almost 75 were in the line of fire for the murder machines.

Not waiting he began to fire at the ones closer to him, before switching to the ones attacking the turrets from behind in an attempt to shut them down.

Soon the legionnaires realized that their losses were to high and began to fall back to the main building due to the tents and camp not giving enough cover from the sniper.

"Their beginning to rout Boone, won't be long, when there's no more movement we'll start the show, then go down there and mop them up." Alex had a smile plastered on his face as the constant flash of the rifles muzzle made his face glow.

Boone couldn't help but look in awe, the man before him was like death incarnate.

Who could do what he's doing and smile like it's just another Monday?

Boone understood the difference between a man that can and a man that can't as he watched Alex reap the lives of every man in legion armor that occupied cottonwood cove that didn't retreat into the main building for cover. The constant rattle of turret fire and screams of pain and anguish from the men on the slope of the mountain as Alex and the turrets unleashed a symphony of death and destruction unto them.

"Hey focus on the task at hand Boone and stop staring at me with love in your eyes and shit in your pants, my girls dry as a bone over here and that ain't no fun." Tossing Boone his last empty magazine, Alex pulled the bolt of his rifle back before slotting a cartridge in the chamber and releasing the bolt. After the round was chambered he took aim and sent a legionary illuminated by a torchlight who was brave enough to peek from behind cover to god, what a conversation that would be.

Snapping out of his awestruck state Boone grabbed a handful of .308 and began to reload the mags as fast as he could, when he finished and handed them over an empty one would be tossed to him seconds later.

This kept up till he went too hand Alex a filled mag only to get a light chuckle in return.

"So focused on reloading those magazines that you didn't even hear me say they all fell back, or too hear the bullets stop? My oh my such great situational awareness Boone."

Looking up at Alex as he stood with his rifles stock resting against his hip and holding the fore grip, the whiff of hot smoke as half the barrel had a faint red glow from the constant fire, His black unique trooper armor completely blending him into the night soaked desert background.

Once again Boone was at a loss for words, seriously! How the fuck could the legion even be an issue if the NCR had a guy like this in their ranks?

"I know what you're thinking Boone, and yes, I too am thinking the same thing. God damn Mojave sand all up in my crack and some, this shit itches." Reaching back Alex scratched his ass in a futile attempt to get the sand out of himself, but alas it was no hope.

Just like that Boone returned from his awestruck stupor, this guy was just as weird as the wasteland.

Turning to look over the ridge at cottonwood cove Boone couldn't see any movement anymore, except the slaves who were all huddled together in an attempt to protect themselves from the battle.

"Damn I think you got em all."

Shaking his head Alex sighed.

"No, about 80 or so made it into the main building."

Looking down at the main building Boone began to panic.

"Shit those fuckers are gonna hold out and radio for reinforcements, their probably keeping an eye on the camp from that building so getting anyone out would be dangerous, they want us to move in and give up our advantage." Boone looked over to Alex only to see him smile and shake his head.

"Why the hell you think I went down there? Do I look like a tourist to you Boone? I snuck in and killed their commander, cut the radio and took over their camps defense system, all while looting anything not nailed down I might add."

Boone could only sigh, this guy honestly defied all reason and logic.

"Don't give me that look, I know I'm awesome. Anyways, no worries about reinforcements until the evening or late afternoon if life wants to raw dog us. Plus you know my moniker right? You know how I got it right?"

Suddenly a huge grin spread on Alex's face as blue particles formed in his hand and a detonator appeared.

"Smell that victory? Smells like…. BARBECUE!"

*Click*

*Click*

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

A shockwave spread out over cottonwood cove, sending debris and heat outwards as the main building did a magic trick and disappeared. A fiery crater and only what one could presume to be former walls remained of the building once the flames and smoke calmed a minute later.

"Well I don't think the fort needs a radio to figure out they should send reinforcements now."

Alex's eyes went wide at Boone.

"Did you just crack a joke? *sniff* I'm so proud! No,no I'm not crying, there's just bits of legion in my eyes."

Boone rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging the corners of his mouth at Alex's antics.

"Can you act seriously for a moment? We need to get down there and free everyone before the legion can scramble up the men to come investigate."

Nodding Alex made an after you gesture.

"Right this way my emotionally bland friend. Let's go get your wife out and get out of dodge before the angry linebackers come snooping."

Both men began their decent down the mountains ridge towards cottonwood completely unaware of an event taking place in a quite town across the Mojave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

//Good Springs, Doc Mitchell's house//

"Urgggh, my head."

Trying to open her eyes only to be blinded by the lamplight beside her, a beautiful silver haired girl in her early 20's could be seen struggling to sit up.

After a few moments she managed to sit up and open her pale green eyes, finding herself in a room she can't recognize. It looks like a house that has been converted into a clinic? A vig-o-matic and some shelf's, a chem station and hospital bed with a divider all can be seen around her as a radio plays Marty Robbins - Big Iron in the background.

Slowly the tall, beautiful pale girl stands up on her feet and looks around at her surroundings better, seeing a laser pistol and a few energy cells on the shelf behind a doctors bag she quickly yet quietly walks over and grabs the energy gun and loads it. Suddenly a headache hits her causing her to lose her balance and she stumbles into the shelf knocking over a bunch of miscellaneous items which clatter on the floor.

The face of a tall, black haired blue eye man smiling at her plays in her memory. Him teaching her how to shoot, wiping away her tears after he avenged her ma and pa's death in Reno, how she wailed when she got the report he went missing and was presumed dead by the NCR. Her anger when that bitch of his ex couldn't even bother to shed a tear.

"Alex, baby I know your alive."

Wiping the tears away that started to fall the girl was about to turn around when she heard an old and soothing voice.

"Ah I see your finally awake?"

Raising the laser pistol after turning,the girl takes aim at an old balding man in overalls and a button up shirt.

"Well little lass, I don't know what you been through, but that's one hell of a thank you for the man that dug you up and pulled the bullet out of your head." Pointing at the laser pistol he sighed. "Guess todays the day."

Realizing that the old man meant her no harm the girl got embarrassed and lowered the energy weapon.

"Sorry, force of habit out in the wasteland that I picked up, people tend to be more courteous when they got a weapon pointed at their face."

Raising his eyebrow the old man looked just above the girls right eye, a pink scar could be seen going back above her ear and into her hair line. "Yeah lucky for you the last courteous person you met had shitty aim, else we wouldn't be having this conversation."

The girl let out a chuckle as she remembered taking that contract, she was on her way to the Mojave anyways so why not? She needed the caps because she ran away from her home and it seemed easy, then that checkered suit fuck showed up with those biker rejects and well….

"The hell happened after the Big Bang? Why am I hear and not floating off in some dreamland for eternity?"

Doc Mitchell gestured for the girl to sit, after she had sat and he checked her over one last time he pulled up a chair.

"Well I was up visiting my wife when I heard you kicking and screaming, I hid behind a gravestone and watched those men pull you into the graveyard. After that slick lil runt was done with his monologue and shot you they half assed buried you and walked off, I felt you deserved a better funeral then that and I felt guilty about not trying to stop em, had no gun on me and I ain't got a death wish yet. I dug you up and lord was I shocked to find you still breathing. Took me a solid 14 hours to get that bullet out and you all patched up. You've been out for two whole weeks, it was touch and go there for awhile."

Doc looked the girl in her pale green eyes as she recalled that night.

"Anyways the names Mitchell, but everyone just calls me doc, what about you? Do you remember your name?"

Looking at the doc the girl smiled and nodded before she introduced herself.

"Ava VanGraff"