"Six I wanna ask you... What do you think the Kings are to Freeside?"
Six raised a brow at the question, mulling it over for a moment. Initially, he had thought the Kings were just another gang—one of many in the Mojave, doing the usual "gang" things: extorting businesses, robbing people, and generally making life hell for those weaker than them.
But after spending some time in Freeside, he hadn't seen the Kings act that way. Sure, he'd witnessed them gunning down a drugged-up thief trying to grab some caps on his way here.
He leaned back slightly and met the King's gaze.
"From what I've seen, you guys function as the authority around here… acting more like protectors or a police force, than the NCR. Though, I could be wrong?"
The King gave an approving nod.
"Sharp. Yeah, the boys and I do our best to keep Freeside from fallin' apart. Before we set up shop, this place was a nightmare—roaming gangs murdering, kidnapping, doin' whatever they pleased. We figured, if no one else was gonna step in, then we would."
Six listened carefully as the King continued.
"At first, we thought the NCR might help clean up Freeside when they showed up. They had the manpower, the resources... but all they really did was flood the place with more desperate people."
He fell into thought.
"Civilians come here thinking they'll get a better life, but most of 'em end up losing everything at the Strip and get stranded in Freeside. And the worst part? The NCR controls the Sharecropper farms, so all that food goes straight to their troops, leaving everyone else here to starve."
Six sighed, crossing his arms.
"That's bad, yeah… but why are you telling me all this? You can't expect me to fix Freeside's problems overnight."
The King shook his head.
"No, but I do need a favor. Lately, more NCR folk have been showing up in Freeside—some refugees, others looking to stay. That's fine and all, but I wanna know why. On top of that, some of my boys got jumped by NCR troopers—bad enough that they're still being treated over at the Old Mormon Fort."
"I need you to find out what the hell's going on. Don't start a war over it, just get me answers."
Six frowned.
"The NCR attacking Kings? That doesn't sound like them. Some of their soldiers are trigger-happy, sure, but picking a fight in the middle of Freeside doesn't seem like their style."
"Exactly."
The King said.
"Which is why I need to know if this was a mistake, some hotheaded troopers, or something more. If the NCR's planning something, Freeside needs to be ready."
Six sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Alright. I'll look into it. If it keeps Freeside from turning into a warzone, I'll do it."
The King grinned.
"Appreciate it. And Six? Be careful."
As Six left the King's School of Impersonation, Rebecca fell into step beside him, hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket.
"So, what's the plan, detective?"
She teased, nudging him with her elbow.
Six rolled his eyes.
"First, I check in with the Followers at the Old Mormon Fort. If the Kings who got jumped are still alive, they might have some insight into what happened. Then, I poke around the NCR's side of things and see if there's any truth to this."
Boone, walking behind them, grunted.
"The NCR doesn't just go around picking fights in the middle of a place they don't control. Either this was some greenhorn patrol with an itchy trigger finger, or there's something more at play."
Raul chuckled.
"Or, someone wants the NCR and the Kings at each other's throats. Wouldn't be the first time a third party stirred the pot."
Six nodded.
"Exactly. We need to figure out if this was a misunderstanding, an isolated incident, or something orchestrated."
They arrived at the Old Mormon Fort within minutes. It was the closest thing Freeside had to a real medical center, run by the Followers of the Apocalypse. The place bustled with wounded civilians, sick wastelanders, and the occasional junkie looking for help kicking their addiction.
Inside, they found Julie Farkas, the de facto leader of the Followers in Freeside, tending to a wounded man with a bandaged head. She looked up as Six approached, recognizing him immediately as his family was their biggest supporter.
"Six"
She greeted, standing up and dusting off her coat.
"I assume you're not here for medical treatment?"
"Not today."
Six replied.
"I need information. Heard some Kings got worked over by NCR troopers. What do you know about it?"
Julie sighed, rubbing her temple.
"It happened two days ago. A squad of NCR troopers ran into a group of Kings near the North Gate. Words were exchanged, things escalated, and before anyone knew it, shots were fired. Three Kings went down, two of them are still here recovering."
Six crossed his arms.
"And the NCR's side of the story?"
Julie shook her head.
"They claim the Kings started it. Said they were harassing some NCR civilians, and when the troopers stepped in, the Kings got aggressive. But the Kings who were involved insist they were just talking to the civilians, trying to figure out why more NCR folk were showing up in Freeside."
Rebecca snorted.
"Sounds like someone's lying."
Julie nodded.
"Maybe. Or maybe both sides were on edge, and someone panicked. Either way, this could turn into something much worse if it isn't handled."
Six exhaled slowly.
"Alright. Where are the Kings that got hit? I need to hear their side firsthand."
Julie gestured toward a nearby tent.
"Inside. Try not to stress them out too much—they're still recovering."
Six nodded and headed toward the tent, already bracing himself for what he might hear. Something was off about this whole situation, and he had a feeling he was only scratching the surface.
Inside the tent, the atmosphere was thick with the scent of antiseptic and the muffled sounds of pain. Two Kings were lying on cots, their bodies bruised and battered, but they were alive.
They both turned their heads when Six entered, their faces clouded with suspicion, but also a hint of relief when they recognized who had walked in.
The first one, a lanky figure with a scruffy beard and a ragged leather jacket, propped himself up on his elbows.
"You here to make it worse?"
He asked, his voice hoarse from the pain.
Six stepped forward, keeping his tone level and calm.
"I'm here to get the truth. What happened with the NCR?"
The second King, a broader man with a shaved head and tattoos crawling down his neck, winced as he shifted.
"Truth? The truth is they attacked us. We were just asking questions. NCR's been flooding Freeside, and we wanted to know why."
Lanky raised a hand, as if trying to calm the other.
"Look, we didn't start anything. We saw a couple of NCR civilians come through, and we were just trying to get a word in. But the moment the troopers saw us, they drew their weapons. We didn't have a choice but to defend ourselves."