Not So Lonesome Road 42 Negotiations

I listened and stopped in my tracks.

"Who are you? You don't look like NCR."

"That's because I'm not, I guess you could say I'm an outside negotiator the NCR brought in."

I could hear some shuffling coming from inside. I guess they were trying to figure out what to do.

"Can I come inside I want to talk?"

There was more silence . . . "you can come in but, keep your hands where we can see them."

As I entered the building I heard one of the khans scream.

"What the h.e.l.l! You're that Courier Benny wasted back in Goodsprings, your supposed to be dead!"

The man who screamed was Jessup the Great Khan who is standing right beside Benny in the opening scenes of the game.

"Yep" I crossed my arms "now I'm back from the dead to haunt you, BoOoOo!"

"Alright, already quit messing around! You survived and tracked us down, what now?"

"Now, we have a polite conversation about how you all have clearly been betrayed by Benny and figure out how to end this mess without anyone getting killed."

"Benny" Jessup cursed "that backstabbing sack of s.h.i.t! He tricked us into thinking the NCR was coming after us! So, we fired first and now look where we are, surrounded on all sides with no way out!"

"I can help you get out of this" I smirked at him.

Jessup glared at me "and why should we trust anything you say? After all we're part of the reason you got shot in the head!"

"True" I shrugged "but, I know the difference between a hired gun and the one who paid them. Besides you have something I want."

Even though I said all that I wasn't actually sure how I felt about the Great Khans. I mean yeah they got me shot in the head but, was that even really me? They also didn't seem like too bad people when I did their quests in game. On the other hand they were murdering drug dealers but, it's not like my hands were clean either. Since I had already killed well over 100 people.

Needless to say my feelings about them were complicated to say the least. But, one thing I did know was that killing them all wasn't the right thing to do.

"If you want that Platinum Chip we took off your body your out of luck. Benny took it back to The Tops casino, where he's surrounded his army of Chairman."

I shook my head "that's not what I want, I need the Engraved Lighter you stole from him."

"How the h.e.l.l do you know about that!"

I shrugged again "I guessed."

"Whatever, what do you even want it for anyway? It's just a stupid lighter."

"It's not just any lighter, it a one of a kind in the entire Mojave."

"So, how does that matter" Jessup scratched his head?

"It matters because I can use it as evidence that Benny is scheming behind Mr.House's back. That lighter is unique to him and is pretty good proof that he stole the Platinum Chip."

"Your saying you can us it to get back at that a.s.shat?"

"Exactly."

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He fished the lighter out of his pocket and held it out to me. I reached out to take it but, he pulled his hand back.

"I'll give it to you, if you help us get out of here in one piece."

"That's fine since that was the other reason I came here. So, I gotta ask what's it going to take for you to let your NCR hostages go?"

He scoffed "that's easy! Once the NCR backs off and let's us go we'll release them."

"That won't work" I shook my head "the NCR has got tired of waiting. They're gearing up to take this place as we speak. Me getting sent in here is just a final attempt to end this peacefully."

"What! They're going to attack but, what about the hostages! Don't they know we'll kill them?"

"Apparently it's acceptable losses."

"s.h.i.t" Jessup curse before looking back to me "then what do you suggest we do?"

"If you let the hostages go then I can convince them to let you all leave without any problems."

"What! There's no way in h.e.l.l I'm going to trust the NCR! I was there at Bitter Springs when they ma.s.sacred every man, woman, and child there! I know what they're capable of!"

"That's exactly why they won't do it again" I argued "what happened at Bitter Springs was the result of poor communication and leadership. It painted them in a bad light and they can't let anything like that happen again. Because the NCR's selling point is that they're better than the Legion. And if they go around executing people who want to end a conflict peacefully it won't reflect well on them. And the people of the Mojave might start doubting them, which is something they can't afford."

Jessup was silent.

"Look" I continued "think of it this way, there are three different ways this can end. First, you end up having to fight your way out of here with no guarentee of success.

Second, you let the hostages go and the NCR decides to betray you which ends up being not too different from the first option.

Or, lastly you give them the hostages and they let you walk free.

From no matter how you look at it releasing the hostages is your best option."

Jessup seemed to be struggling with a decision but, eventually he grit his teeth and spat out "fine, we'll release the hostages."

He turned to his me and ordered them to untie the captured NCR soldiers and let them go.