NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: Showdown
The next day they decided to meet in the morning at the new now larger Prospector Saloon. Entering they witness Trudy being threatened by a powder ganger.
"I'm done being nice. If you don't hand Ringo over soon, I'm going to get my friends and we're burning this city to the ground, got it?"
"We'll keep that in mind. Now, if you're not going to buy something, get o-."
Trudy didn't get a chance to finish because the next second there was a hole the size of a golf ball in the Powder Ganger's face.
The Prospector Saloon grew eerily quiet after Six's swift and brutal execution of Joe Cobb, the Powder Ganger. The echo of his 50-caliber Desert Eagle still hung in the air, a clear signal that the conversation was over before it even began. Blood pooled on the floor as the other patrons looked between each other, nervously awaiting the next move.
With a Cheshire grin, Six said.
"Woooooo. Had to get that off my back, thank you, guys, for bringing me a Powder Ganger just for me. I feel so special"
"Dammit, Six. Oh well, it looks like our city got itself dragged into the middle of something we don't want anything to do with. About three days ago, this trader, Ringo, came into the city."
"Survivor of an attack, he says. Bad men after him, need a place to hide. We figured he was just in shock, so we gave him a place to lie low. We didn't actually expect anyone to come after him."
Trudy told Six and Rebecca excitedly Rebecca loving how her husband dealt with the Powder Ganger stepped in, her enthusiasm almost palpable as she threw a playful grin toward Trudy.
"Trudy, my girl."
Rebecca said with a gleam in her eye.
"What can you tell me about the Powder Ganger my man just put down?"
Trudy, still shaken by the sudden violence, exhaled deeply.
"He's a convict. Just without the chains. Said his name was Joe Cobb—a Powder Ganger. Plenty more like him out there, and now you've got the rest of them breathing down our necks. They've been trouble for a while."
Sunny Smiles, the town's sheriff, strode forward with purpose. She wasn't one to shy away from a fight, and Six's willingness to take out Cobb only solidified her resolve.
"Say no more. I'm in,"
Sunny said, standing tall.
"And so are my deputies."
Six smirked.
"I literally didn't say anything, but I appreciate the enthusiasm."
His gaze sharpened as he took in the weight of the situation.
"Guess we're going to help Ringo take on the rest of the Powder Gangers, then. I have a feeling that one way or another, I'm going to end up fighting those guys. Might as well get it over with now."
"Joe Cobb talked big about leaving you alone if you handed Ringo over."
Six continued.
"but we all know his type. He and his friends would eventually come after the city anyway."
Sunny nodded.
"Exactly. Once they set their sights on Goodsprings, they won't stop until they burn it to the ground."
Rebecca, always thrilled by the promise of a good fight, sidled up to Six, her grin wide and mischievous.
"Ready to storm down those Powder Gangers?"
She asked, clearly relishing the idea of going head-to-head with the convicts.
Six chuckled, patting her on the shoulder.
"Of course. What's life without a little mayhem?"
The next few hours saw Goodsprings preparing for war. Sunny, Trudy, and Six took the lead in organizing the town's defenses. Boone Raul and Ron began setting up defensive positions, with ED-E and other eyebots scouting the outskirts for any signs of the approaching Powder Gangers.
Six approached Ringo, who was hiding out in the old gas station just outside of town. The man was visibly shaken, aware that his presence had dragged Goodsprings into the crosshairs of the Powder Gangers.
"You Ringo?"
Six asked as he walked into the station.
Ringo looked up, startled.
"Yeah... that's me. Who are you?"
"Doesn't matter. I hear you've got some bad company heading our way."
Ringo sighed.
"Yeah, I was hoping to lay low here for a while. Didn't think Joe Cobb would come after me so soon, though."
"Well, you're not laying low anymore. Goodsprings is backing you up, but you'll need to help us fend off the Powder Gangers."
Ringo hesitated.
"I'm not much of a fighter, but... I guess I don't have a choice. I can help."
"Good. Get ready, because when they come, it's going to get ugly."
As dusk approached, the tension in Goodsprings was palpable. The city had turned into a makeshift fortress. Six, Rebecca, Sunny, Boone, and the rest stood ready on the wall, their eyes fixed on the horizon. The Powder Gangers would be coming soon.
Six stood with Rebecca at his side, his new anti-material rifle gleaming under the setting sun. He smirked at her, confident and calm.
"Looks like we're about to make this city famous."
Rebecca grinned back.
"Famous, or infamous. Either way, it's going to be fun."
They didn't have to wait long. In the distance, a cloud of dust signaled the arrival of the Powder Gangers. They were coming, and they had no idea what was waiting for them in Goodsprings.
As the Powder Gangers drew closer to the closed main entrance, Six cracked his knuckles, his plot armor practically humming with energy.
"Let's give them a welcome they won't forget."
As Six explained a few hours ago about the upcoming battle plan, the room filled with both disbelief and reluctant acceptance. His words painted a vivid picture of the Powder Gangers' predictable and ill-fated assault. Trudy, Sunny Smiles, and the others gathered around him, soaking in the absurdity of it all.
"Like I said."
Six began, gesturing toward the rough map he'd drawn on the saloon table.
"These dumb chuckle-nuts are going to come directly from the I-15 road and just straight-up attack us. No cover, no ambush, no flanking maneuvers—just a straight charge at our fortified 30-foot cement and steel wall, as if their lives mean nothing."
Trudy raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with a skeptical frown.
"You can't be serious. No one's that stupid. They're just going to attack a heavily fortified wall with gun turrets and other types of turrets? Head-on? With no tactical cover?"
Six chuckled, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin.
"My dear Trudy, we're not dealing with the finest tacticians of the Mojave. These are escaped convicts, the type that couldn't think further than where their next meal's coming from. Instead of laying low or scattering into the desert, they stayed close to the prison they broke out from, making themselves easy targets."
"The smart ones? They're long gone, blending in somewhere else. But the ones we're dealing with? They think brute force is their ticket to success."
Sunny Smiles crossed her arms, her expression a mix of determination and annoyance.
"Alright then. We'll set up our shooters on the wall some distance from the turrets, get some rifles up there, and mow them down when they come. You're absolutely sure they're going to come straight down the road and not try anything else?"
Six nodded confidently, pointing at the spot on the map where the Powder Gangers were most likely to approach.
"Yep, 100%. These idiots know one strategy: charge in with numbers and hope they overwhelm us. That's it. Thanks to that bastard Shido, I've seen plenty of dumb strategies like this. Trust me, they won't try anything clever."
Sunny exchanged a glance with Boone, who had been quietly standing near the back of the room.
"I hope you're right, Six. If they're really coming at us without a plan, then we'll be ready."
Boone, ever the stoic sharpshooter, chimed in.
"I'll make sure they regret it before they get too close."
As the night fell, the town of Goodsprings buzzed with quiet anticipation. Six's plan was set in motion. The defenders were positioned along the fortified wall, each of them armed with rifles or whatever weapons they could muster. Boone had taken a prime sniper position, his rifle ready to pick off the first of the attackers.
Six stood near the center of the wall with Rebecca at his side, her anti-tank rifle at the ready. They could see the distant figures approaching in the moonlight—the Powder Gangers, just as expected, coming straight down the road like moths to a flame.
"You know."
Rebecca said with a smirk setting up her rifle.
"This is almost too easy."
Six grinned, his eyes fixed on the incoming enemies.
"Told you. Fish in a barrel."
As the Powder Gangers closed in, their numbers growing clearer in the dim light, Six signaled to the others.
"Alright, everyone, get ready. On my mark..."
The first few Powder Gangers came into range, oblivious to the danger they were walking into. Six raised his hand, holding it in the air for a moment before dropping it sharply.
"Now!"
Gunfire erupted from the wall. Boone's rifle cracked, dropping one of the lead Powder Gangers instantly. Sunny Smiles and the others opened fire, sending a hail of bullets toward the convicts. The turrets next came to live opening with machine gun fire, shotgun fire, laser shots, and missiles being launched at the Powder Gangers. As predicted, the attackers were out in the open, charging without cover or coordination.
Within minutes, the Powder Gangers were cut down, their numbers thinning rapidly as they realized the futility of their assault. The few survivors tried to retreat, but they didn't make it far before they, too, were gunned down.
When the dust finally settled, the road was littered with bodies. The defenders of Goodsprings barely broke a sweat.
Rebecca lowered her weapon, shaking her head with a chuckle.
"You were right, Big guy. They didn't even stand a chance."
Six smirked, putting away his rifle.
"Told you. Sometimes, the dumbest enemies are the easiest to deal with."
Sunny Smiles walked up to them, her expression one of mild disbelief.
"Well, that was… anticlimactic. But at least we won."
Six glanced back at the lifeless bodies sprawled on the road.
"Yeah, well, it's not always about the challenge. Sometimes it's just about making sure they don't come back."
With the battle won and Goodsprings safe for now, Six, Rebecca, and the rest of the group turned their attention to the future. There were bigger threats out there than a few convicts, and Six knew it wouldn't be long before they had to face something far more dangerous.
Level: 13
NAME: Six XI
GENDER: MALE
STRENGTH: 10
PERCEPTION: 10
ENDURANCE: 10
CHARISMA: 10
INTELLIGENCE: 10
AGILITY: 10
LUCK: 10
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BARTER: 54
ENERGY WEAPONS: 36
EXPLOSIVES: 36
GUNS: 100
LOCKPICK: 39
MEDICINE: 90
MELEE WEAPONS: 39
REPAIR: 100
SCIENCE: 100
SNEAK: 39
SPEECH: 39
SURVIVAL: 39
UNARMED: 39