[i]Shortly before arrival the march to Prescott[/i] [hr] They looked like they belonged in a battlefield of two centuries ago fighting the Chinese for Anchorage rather than killing poor sods in the wasteland for pay. But here they were on the job. Except not quite. Today they weren't shooting as part of a gig, but rather to protect future gigs. Fucking Casetti triplets, how could they ignore so many years of a good relationship for a few quick caps? Perhaps they were upset that they were now losing a valuable partner and wanted recompense, but they'd learn today that you have to let go and they would learn this a very, very hard way. "Do the knock. Then answer." The terrified lad did as told, the firearm keeping him in line just out of sight for the hatch in the door. Said hatch slid open, and a grumbling was heard from the other side. "You're late. Again. You got the shit?" "Yes. Yes I do." "Alright. Come in." A sound of chains and locks being operated came, and as the door started to open it was kicked in, the man on the other end sprawling to the ground. Three operators rushed in, the one at the rear putting a single bullet into forehead of the door man and another into the the poor kid that got them in. The room was clear, and a signal was given for several more operators to stream in. They each had memorized the layout of the building and they were armed to match with pistols, shotguns, PDWs, carbines and two machine guns to lock down corridors with suppression. They fanned out across the different paths of the rat's nest with the simple mission of no survivors save the Casettis. Drug cooking scum, Nathaniel was absolutely furious with them! To be so petty as to threaten to tell the whole Mojave of their joint exploits, even for them sinking so low was… despicable! The Major for the last ten years could not remember a time he had cried, raised his voice, or even given much more than a chuckle to a joke. Naturally it was hard to be this cold of a bastard, and truth was even a corrupt soul as he had to force much of this but he saw it as a necessity for survival in this vile land. But the Casettis had infuriated him such that he was willing to make an exception to his usual calm. They had threatened to tell all the Mojave of their joint ventures if Nathan didn’t pay a hefty sum, one that the Major could not afford if he wanted his long-term plans to succeed. But though he could not pay the bastards off, he could not let them babble about what exactly the Blackjacks had done for all to know; if that happened there wouldn’t be a community left that would welcome them, and even the people looking for a new beginning in the East would not tolerate them. Thus they had to die, and there could not be a man left to tell of what happened; the narrative would be controlled by the Blackjacks who had already paid a few hundred caps to the Garretts and other rumour mills to say the Casettis were targeting caravans to get chemicals for their drug cooking, who in turn had paid the mercenaries to clear up their den. None of this was true of course, but that didn’t really matter did it? Though many who knew better would scoff, the narrative would be that the Blackjacks were heroes. Moments passed, and already the sounds of automatic gunfire rattled the structure. It was an impressive work of architecture, Nathan had to admit. A warehouse built by a cave, with many cargo containers brought over to connect the two and create new rooms. Many rammed into the sandy hills and into the ground with scaffolds here and there to help hold up soil. If this place was out East in the new land of opportunity he'd have taken it for himself as a hideout. With the sounds of combat getting more distant Nathaniel slowly started to venture into the structure given his men cleared a path of safety for him. He didn't even bother unslinging his slick FAL, instead cracking open a sunset sarsparilla to refresh him. He walked by a room where one of his operators had just finished interrogating two jet cooks with their hands raised in surrender, and nodded to the Blackjack as signal to execute the surrendered bastards; he used a knife to save on bullets. Nathaniel ran a high end corps but you didn't stay running one if you wasted caps willy-nilly oh no! The Major motioned for the man to move on, taking a look around the room himself, sitting down on one of the chairs in it. It was a rather large enclosure, something of a rec room for the drug cooks he supposed. The comfy leather chair certainly seemed to concur! Just as he was about to doze off, a closet opened revealing two of the druggie bastards. They locked eyes monetarily, before each party ran for cover. The locals had the advantage, firing their pipe pistols first. There were two of them and they had wood tables as cover as opposed to a leather couch for Nathaniel; not a good situation indeed. Oh, but he’d show them. Standing up he flicked the select-fire of his FAL and let the weapon rip. He repeatedly switched which of the little shits he fired upon, until eventually there was a deafeningly quiet [i]click[/i] from the FAL. Hearing the noise of reprieve, one of the Casetti goons stood up to shoot, but the Major kept count of his ammunition and just as he was running out he kept firing with one hand to draw his sidearm; the foe did not get to aim before the Major’s 12.7mm pistol made a mess of his skull. Having stolen the initiative Nathaniel ran over to the table and gave it a heavy kick before jumping over to shoot the second goon. Wiping sweat off of his forehead Nathan looked up to see one of his mercenaries having arrived in the doorway. “Is it done?” “Yes, we have them. Tied up like you said, Sir.” “Excellent.” They were there, the ugly trio. Tied up and with naught left to do but await their deaths. Nathaniel squatted in front of them, cutting off the rope around their mouths. Looking to the eldest of them he smiled. “You know I didn’t want to do this. But you made me, Michael. We were always partners and you betrayed me. So now you’re going to be slaves. See, I’m not a cruel man! You’re going to stay together, isn’t that nice?” With that he stood up and walked off, only for one of the triplets to call out after looking at all their dead friends beside them: “God will fuck you up for this you sick bastard!” The Major stopped, his eye twitching faintly at the words. Sliding on a knee to the fellow with his knife once more out he stared for just a second. “I am not the bad guy in this story. I only exist because you do, all of this, all of this death? Its on you. God? If anything I’m the dude’s hand, given I cleaned up this den of evil. Evil. You will speak no evil, your sister hear none, and your brother see none of it. Freddy, you’re creative, I take it you knew what I meant?” “Yessir.” “Good, take my blade, do it.” The Major laughed. This would be his little vacation from professional, collected operation. He had gotten away with it yet again, and though this was his closest time yet he knew he’d keep getting away with it. [hr] Now the Blackjacks marched at the very end of the column of settlers, their firearms in full display. They were more “tagging along” than part of the expedition of settlers, acting like vultures waiting for some violence to happen surrounding the settlers that would call for them to be hired. For now they took it easy, knowing once they arrived they’d have to take a few little odd jobs around the settlement first to make ends meet. But they were cheery for a new life awaited them, and thus they went along with a marching song on their lips. [center][i]Two recruiting Sergeants came through the black watch, To markets and fairs some recruits for to catch. All that enlisted were forty and two, Enlist my fine boy, I’ll make a man of you! It’s over the mountains, and over the main, Through deserts and a whole lot of pain, Get a feather in your cap, the world you’ll see, Enlist my good boy, and come away with me! Oh sonny you don’t know the danger that you’re in, If your horses would bolt and your caps run thin, This greedy old farmer wouldn’t pay your fee, So enlist my fine boy, and come away with me![/i][/center]