Six clenched his fists as he looked at the lifeless Legionnaire, the man's own blood pooling in his mouth having bitten his tongue off. His lips curled in frustration, and he cursed under his breath. He should have known better than to trust someone with so much desperation in their eyes.
"Damn it!!!"
He had wanted answers, but the bastard had ensured he wouldn't give any. At least there was still the Omerta.
And that one? Oh, he talked—loudly and desperately—after Rebecca put a bullet through his kneecap and ground her boot into the shattered joint. Six had seen hardened killers hold out against torture before, but this guy? He broke in seconds.
He pushed the Legionnaire's body aside, glancing over at Rebecca who was standing by the Omerta, her expression cold and unfeeling. Her boots were covered in blood—his blood—but she was unbothered by it. The man, once a calculating part of the Omerta operation, was now a broken mess, sobbing in agony as he clutched his shattered knees.
Between pained screams and sobbing breaths, the Omerta spilled everything. They'd been working with the Legion for months, smuggling in Legionnaires disguised as mercenaries, feeding the flames of conflict between the Kings and NCR, and selling people—entire families—into slavery.
Six could already see that the interrogation had gone... efficiently.
Rebecca looked up from the man's broken form, her eyes filled with a detached, steely resolve.
"He cracked fast once I made sure he couldn't walk away from this conversation."
Six raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he stepped closer.
"And what exactly did he crack on?"
Rebecca's lips curled into a small, grim smile as she relayed what the Omerta had spilled.
As Six and Rebecca dragged their prisoners to McCormick his expression was weary after stopping the gunfight, the weight of Freeside's growing chaos evident in the dark circles under his eyes.
Six threw the dead Legionnaire down like a sack of rotten potatoes. The Omerta, however, was still whimpering, his legs bleeding thanks to Rebecca's 'persuasive' methods.
McCormick frowned at the scene before him, standing up.
"Tell me you got something useful."
Six exhaled sharply.
"One of them, yeah. The other bit his tongue off and choked on his own blood before we could get a damn word out of him."
McCormick's face twisted in frustration as he looked down at the dead Legionnaire.
"Goddammit. That's just perfect."
Rebecca scoffed, nudging the Omerta with her boot.
"Yeah, well, this guy made up for it. Once I convinced him talking was in his best interest, he spilled everything."
McCormick raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
Six crossed his arms.
"The Omertas have been smuggling Legionnaires into Freeside. They've been selling people into slavery, and worse, they're the ones stirring up trouble between the Kings and the NCR."
McCormick's jaw tightened.
"Son of a bitch… So they've been playing both sides… fanning the flames while making a profit, planning a full-scale betrayal."
"Exactly."
Six said, his voice sharp.
"The fights, the raids, the sudden hostilities—it was all orchestrated. And if we don't put a stop to it soon, this place is going to explode into a full-scale war."
McCormick ran a hand down his face.
"Jesus. This is bad. If the higher-ups find out that the NCR got played like this, they'll want blood. Freeside could turn into another damn Hoover Dam battle."
Rebecca smirked, cracking her knuckles.
"Then I guess we better make sure the right people bleed first."
McCormick exhaled and looked at the whimpering Omerta.
"You think he's telling the truth?"
Six's expression was cold.
"Oh, he is. Rebecca made sure of it."
The Omerta weakly nodded, his face drenched in sweat.
McCormick's face hardened as he processed the information. His hand clenched into a fist, the knuckles white. The situation was far worse than he'd imagined, and it was all coming into focus now.
Big Sal and Nero, two of the most influential figures in the Vegas underworld, had been playing both sides—using their position to carve a path for Caesar's Legion to claim the Strip. It was an insidious, calculated move, and it could unravel everything.
"You're telling me."
McCormick said slowly, his voice colder than it had been before.
"That Nero's been feeding information to the Legion, because Ceaser promised them control of New Vegas, in exchange for some kind of power grab once the dust settles?"
The Omerta nodded desperately, his voice shaky.
"Yes! The NCR, the Families, House—they all think they're in control, but they don't know about Nero's plan. He's been working with Big Sal… using the Omertas to smuggle in Legion forces. They've already gotten their foothold. All they need is a little more chaos… and then they strike."
Rebecca's gaze flicked over to Six, her lips curling into a grim smile.
"Well, they've certainly got that chaos part down."
"If what this bastard says is true, the Omertas aren't just some two-bit crime syndicate anymore—they're a Legion sleeper cell, waiting for the right moment to stab New Vegas in the back."
Six's eyes burned with fury. He could feel the weight of the betrayal settling into his bones. Nero, the one who had been walking around New Vegas with a mask of loyalty, was nothing more than a traitor playing a dangerous game.
Caesar's Legion, the very same force that had torn the Mojave apart, was going to use Nero's treachery to seize control of the most important city in the wasteland.
Six stepped forward, leaning down over the trembling Omerta.
"So, tell me more. What exactly is the plan? When do they strike?"
The Omerta winced, pain still radiating from his broken legs.
"They've been moving men into position for weeks. They've been preparing explosives, setting up ambush points. The NCR Embassy's been targeted for weeks, and the other Families' casinos... they'll be raided at the same time. Once the Legion takes Hoover Dam, they're going to hit the Strip in one final push. They think they can catch everyone off guard."
McCormick's hands were trembling, but his voice was steady when he spoke.
"How many Legionnaires are we talking about? How much time do we have?"
"Not much."
The Omerta's voice was barely above a whisper.
"They've got a full legion's worth of men. And they're coordinated. Nero's been laying low, pretending to be just another part of the Strip's business. But he's been moving pieces around for months."
Rebecca shot a glance at Six, her lips tightening.
"We're going to need more than just the two of us to stop this."
Six nodded grimly.
"I'll alert the NCR—get them to reinforce the Strip. But we can't rely on them alone. They'll be too late to stop this if we don't act fast."
McCormick looked between the two of them.
"What's your plan, then?"
Six's eyes were cold and calculating.
"We hit them where it hurts. We take out Nero and Big Sal before they can start their offensive. I'll get in touch with the Kings and some of the other factions. We need an all-out assault on the Omertas and their Legion allies, and we need it now."
Rebecca cracked her knuckles.
"I'll handle the Kings and anyone who gets in our way."
McCormick grimaced.
"You're going to need backup. This isn't just a few thugs. We'll need every gun we can get."
Six's voice was hard.
"I don't care. I'll do it myself if I have to. But Nero and Big Sal won't get away with this."
The Omerta let out a weak gasp, shaking his head.
"Please, you don't know what you're dealing with… They've got people everywhere. The Legion's already moved in!"
Six stood up straight, his resolve unwavering.
"I know exactly what I'm dealing with. And now you're going to help us stop it."
Turning to Rebecca, he gave her a look that said everything. They were going to end this. All of it. Now.
The battle for New Vegas was about to reach its most dangerous point.