Hot, hotter than usual. What would you expect? Nevada was a hot place, especially with the fact that it was after nuclear bombings. But within the hot, dry deserts of Nevada, was a ranger. An NCR ranger, dressed in his combat armor and duster. It looked like he was wandering aimlessly but no; he was in search of something… someone… Dallas stood there, breathing heavily inside his mask. ‘Shit…’ He muttered, pulling his helmet off. He breathed in the dusty air of the desert. Dallas quickly pulled out what looked like a cigarette, and a lighter. Placing the cigarette in his mouth, Dallas struck the light. He slowly breathed out the fumes of the cigarette, holding it in between his middle and index. He liked smoking; it comforted him slightly in the hellhole that was Nevada. Dallas turned in a full 360-degree circle, hoping that something would come his way. Dallas stopped suddenly, and focused his view on… a shack, in the middle of nowhere. ‘Well…’ Dallas said, his cigarette in his mouth. ‘How about that…’ he finished, taking the cigarette out. As Dallas got closer to the shack, he couldn’t help but notice something splattered on the front of the house. Dallas reached the front of the shack, lowering himself down close to the liquid. He pressed his fingers on this… liquid and inspected it, rubbing his fingers together. ‘Blood… Now how in sane hell…’ Dallas started, getting up. He dropped his cigar butt on the ground and placed his foot over it. Dallas stood at the door of the shack, unsure whether or not he should enter. ‘I feel sorry for the poor soul who lost…’ Dallas looked down ‘All this blood…’ Dallas then reached into his duster, and pulled out his 44 Magnum, pulling back the safety pin and placing his hand on the shack door. Dallas breathed in and pushed on the door. Surprisingly, the door swung open easily. Dallas took a step inwards, and immediately heard whimpers… Male whimpers. Dallas held his magnum and slowly made his way into the shack, following the trail of blood. James stopped. He became hesitant. What if it was a raider ambush, or even legion scum? This raced through his mind. Until a voice perked up and interrupted his train of thought. ‘Hey…’ The male voice said. ‘I… I know you’re here… Just come out I’m not any sort of scum…’ Dallas sighed and put his helmet back on. He stepped out into the doorframe and took a good look at the man. ‘Who… Are you?’ The young man asked. ‘Just an NCR…’ Dallas replied. He made his way towards the injured man. ‘Tell me what happened…’ He asked, leaning down. The man looked younger than Dallas. The man was at least in his early 20s. He had black hair, and wore leather armour that made him look like a raider. James looked down to the man’s stomach, which had a gaping stomach wound in it. ‘Who did this too you?’ Dallas asked. The man coughed a sick, dying cough. ‘Raiders…’ The man replied. ‘Take your helmet off…’ He asked. Dallas hesitated, but did so. Slowly lifting his helmet off, his dyed blonde hair seeped out. ‘Yeah… Yeah you’re the type…’ The man said. He took his left hand off his stomach wound, and slowly slipped off what looked like a Pip-boy. ‘You need to take this… Go to the penthouse suite of the lucky 38 Casino in New Vegas…’ The man said, giving Dallas the pip-boy. ‘What for?’ Dallas asked. ‘You need to help someone… I think…’ The man slurred out. ‘I’m… I’m sorry…’ Dallas held the pip-boy in his hand, and looked back at him. ‘You did what you had too…’ He whispered into the man’s ear. But it was too late. The man stopped breathing, and died. James sighed, another life lost. James took his right hand glove off and left it on the corpse. James slipped on the pip-boy and it immediately lit up. ‘Never used one…’ James admitted too himself, fiddling with the controls. He changed it too the radio function, and straightaway a broadcast blurted out. Dallas listened into the pre-recorded message on the pip-boy. ‘Lucky 38…’ He said, lowering his right wrist. ‘Maybe this could…’ Dallas said ‘Caroline…’ He never made it this far into New Vegas. It shone bright lights, lights that Hurt dallas’ eyes. ‘Shit…’ He cursed under his breath. He quickly slid his helmet on and looked at his pip-boy again. He got looks at those wandering out the streets. --- ‘NCR F***!’ Yelled a Kings Gang member, giving him the middle finger. Dallas shot a look, the red shades of his visor glaring at the Kings gang member. Dallas brushed it off, and continued walking. Soon enough, he was right before the entrance of the strip, looking upwards to it. Suddenly, a securitron robot wheeled in front of him. ‘State your official business.’ The robot said. Dallas thought for a moment. ‘NCR business… I’m here for the guy in the tower…’ he replied, pointing to the lucky 38. ‘Apologies sir but the boss doesn’t take NCR…’ The robot said. ‘Welp…’ Dallas said. ‘Stand aside Compadre. He’s here on official business.’ Said a southern, robotic voice. ‘Come with me partner. Knew you would’ve come…’ Said the robot. The securitron robot wheeled off, allowing Dallas and The robot to walk past. This allows Dallas to take his helmet off. ‘Gotta name friend?’ Dallas asked, whipping out another cigarette and lighting it. ‘Best if I keep that TBA, partner.’ The robot said. ‘Well… Can I ask why I’m here, and what for?’ Dallas asked. The Robot rotated himself around. ‘You didn’t get the message, partner?’ He asked. Dallas thought for a minute, and then remembered. ‘Shit… Yeah I did actually…’ Dallas said, scratching the back of his head. ‘Well, you came at the right time if I do say so myself! Follow me amigo!’ The robot said said, leading Dallas to the Lucky 38 Casino. --- Dallas and the robot arrived to the penthouse suite, the elevator doors shutting behind them. ‘I don’t like this…’ Dallas thought, taking a blow of his cigarette. ‘Just wait here. He would probably be expecting you…’ The robot said, whirring behind him and into the elevator. Dallas sighed and waited. Why was he needed? Dallas puffed another stream of smoke out and pulled out a small, wrinkled photo of a woman. The woman had long, flowing brown hair, and a slim, petite body. She wore a beautiful polka dot dressed and stood in front of what looked like the Hoover Dam. ‘Caroline…’ Dallas thought, tracing his two fingers on his other hand over the girls face. ‘This is for you… I love you…’ He muttered, stuffing the photo back into his duster pocket.