Chapter 78: The Butler did it! No, I mean Jeannie May!

Chapter 78 - The Butler did it! No, I mean Jeannie May!

Six was not going to spend his time looking for the mystery trader Travis, so at the moment, he was knelt by the front desk at the Dino Dee-lite Motel, his fingers trailing along the seams of the floorboards until he found what he was looking for a hidden floor safe.

The steel was scuffed but secure, and it wasn't going to open without some work. He sighed. It was typical of Jeannie May to think she could outsmart everyone with her secrets locked away here.

He grabbed his tools from a pouch—Rebecca watching with crossed arms, tapping her boot impatiently.

"How long's this gonna take, big guy?"

"Not long."

Six muttered, focusing on the lock.

"Just need to... convince it to cooperate."

"Come on... speak to Daddy!"

With some delicate twists and a bit of elbow grease, the lock finally gave a satisfying click. Six swung the heavy door open, revealing a pile of neatly arranged caps, bundles of scrap, and—most importantly—a small folded paper tucked between the valuables.

Rebecca leaned closer, her curiosity piqued.

"Preem! That looks like the jackpot."

She said with a grin.

Six carefully unfolded the paper, smoothing it out against his knee. His eyes scanned the document, his expression hardening as he read the title: Bill of Sale.

We, the representatives of the Consul Officiorum, have this day bargained and purchased from Jeannie May Crawford of the township of Novac the exclusive rights to ownership and sale of the slave Juliette for the sum of one thousand Bottle Caps, and those of her unborn child for the sum of five hundred bottle caps, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged.

We warrant the slave and her offspring to be sound, healthy, and property for life. We covenant with the said Jeannie May Crawford that we have full power to bargain and sell said slave and offspring. Payment of an additional five hundred bottle caps will be due upon successful maturation of the fetus, the claim to which shall be guaranteed by possession of this document.

M. Scribonius Libo Drusus, on behalf of

M. Licinius Crassus, Consul Officiorum ab Famulatus

Six's fists clenched the paper as a wave of cold anger surged through him. The words confirmed every suspicion, but reading them was still like a punch to the gut. Carla and her unborn child had been sold as if they were nothing more than property—betrayed by the woman who pretended to lead Novac with a friendly smile.

He fought the urge to tear the paper to shreds. Instead, he forced his hand open, folding the damning note carefully.

Six stood silently as Rebecca scanned the note, her lips curling into a triumphant smirk. She couldn't help but laugh—partly at her victory, partly in disbelief at the sheer audacity of Jeannie May Crawford.

Rebecca chuckled darkly, watching his reaction.

"Ha! Itoldyou choom, it was her, didn't I?"

She teased, nudging him with her elbow, and holding the damning note up like a trophy. "Told you I had that hag pegged from the start. That hag sold a pregnant woman and didn't even blink. What a piece of work."

Six exhaled slowly, his jaw clenched in frustration. He'd wanted it to be anyone else, just for the sake of curiosity, and making his wife shut up, but deep down, he knew Rebecca had been right all along. There was no mistaking it now. This was more than just a betrayal—it was evil, calculated, and irredeemable.

"Yeah, yeah. You were right. Do you want a cookie?"

"Of course, I want one. And I was right."

Rebecca grinned.

"What now? Hand this off to Bran or let the town handle her?"

Six thought about it for a moment, but the answer was already clear.

"We're giving this to Ranger Andy. As the owner of the lands, I have to show I respect the law. She's getting her day in court. No running from this."

Rebecca's smirk widened.

"Ooooh, public trial? NowthisI gotta see."

With the note safely in his hand, Six stood up, his decision set in stone. Jeannie May Crawford had sealed her fate the moment she made that deal with the Legion. And tonight, justice would be served.

That night, the people of Novac gathered near the campfire in front of Dinky the Dinosaur, the towering icon casting long shadows over the crowd. Jeannie May Crawford sat at the center of it all, hands bound, her normally pleasant demeanor replaced with a steely mask of defiance.

She glanced nervously at the faces around her—people she'd known for years—only to find anger and disgust in their eyes.

Ranger Andy, still nursing his bad knee, presided over the proceedings as the judge. His face was grim, his old ranger instincts kicking in. On either side of Jeannie stood Six and Rebecca, with Bran silently holding his rifle in the crowd, seething with barely contained rage. Boone hadn't shown up, but Six knew why—facing the life that could have been was too much for the man.

Andy cleared his throat, silencing the murmuring crowd.

"Jeannie May Crawford."

He began.

"You've been accused of aiding the Legion by selling Juliette into slavery. The evidence presented against you is damning—this 'Bill of Sale.'"

He held the note up for all to see.

"Is signed by representatives of the Consul Officiorum, detailing the transfer of Juliette and her unborn child. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Jeannie sneered, her voice sharp and brittle.

"I did what I had to. That woman was trouble—always causing problems for our town. If it hadn't been me, someone else would've done it eventually. I kept us safe. I did what needed to be done!"

The crowd stirred angrily at her words, murmuring in disbelief and fury.

"Safe?"

Andy spat, slamming his cane against the ground for emphasis.

"You sold one of our own to the Legion, damn it! You call that keeping us safe? Do you even realize what you did?"

Jeannie lifted her chin stubbornly.

"I kept us fed. I kept the Legion off our backs."

Rebecca stepped forward, with her regular outfit showing her growing belly, her blue eyes cold with fury.

"You sold a pregnant woman like cattle."

She hissed.

"You didn't do it for Novac—you did it for yourself, old hag!"

Six crossed his arms, letting Rebecca take the lead. Watching her work when she was angry was almost entertaining, in a dark way.

"Face it, you old witch."

Rebecca continued, her voice dripping with venom.

"You thought you could play both sides, but all you did was put blood on your hands. And now? You're going to pay for it."

Jeannie's defiance faltered, her eyes flicking between the hostile faces around her. Panic began to creep in as she realized there was no escape.

Ranger Andy raised a hand, calling for silence once more.

"The people of Novac will decide your fate."

He declared.

"We've heard the evidence, and the choice is clear. Jeannie May Crawford, you are guilty of treason and the sale of human lives."

He turned to the crowd.

"What punishment does the town demand?"

A heavy silence hung in the air—then, slowly, voices began to rise in unison.

"Death!"

Someone shouted.

"Hang her!"

Another yelled.

Bran's voice cut through the noise, sharp and steady.

"Shoot her like the rabid dog she is. For what she did to my wife."

Andy gave a solemn nod.

"Then it's settled."

Jeannie May was led to the snow-covered edge of town, where a lone chair stood in front of the old billboard. She struggled as they tied her down, cursing and spitting at anyone who came near. But it didn't matter—her fate was already sealed.

Six stood a few feet away, rifle in hand, the cold glinting off the worn wood. He didn't need to be the one to do it, but this was personal. Jeannie May hadn't just betrayed Carla—she'd betrayed every person in Novac who believed in decency and trust.

Rebecca stood beside him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.

"You good?"

She asked softly.

He gave her a slow nod, raising the rifle.

"Yeah. Let's end this."

Jeannie May glared at them, her voice filled with venom to the last.

"You think this makes you better than me? You're just killers, same as the Legion."

Six took a deep breath and aimed down the sights.

"Difference is."

He murmured.

"We don't sell our own."

The crack of the rifle echoed through the desert night, and Jeannie May Crawford slumped forward, her life ending with a single, precise shot.

The crowd dispersed slowly, the weight of justice heavy in the air. Novac would carry the scars of betrayal for a long time, but tonight, the town had taken a step toward healing.

Six and Rebecca stood together in the quiet aftermath, the stars shining cold and distant above them. Rebecca slipped her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You did good."

She whispered.

"Now, let's go get ourselves a drink."

Six gave a tired grin, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Yeah. Time to move on, from this."

They left behind Jeannie May Crawford in the chair as a last punishment to be eaten by the nuclear winter wildlife. Her memory faded into the past. But the lesson remained: in the wasteland, betrayal always had a price. And some debts could only be paid in blood.

With Jeannie May Crawford's corpse left tied to the chair, abandoned in the icy grip of the Mojave night, Six and Rebecca walked away without a second glance. Jeannie's memory slowly faded as the nuclear winter wildlife began stirring from the darkness—hungry predators drawn by the scent of blood. Her body would soon become dust in the unforgiving wasteland.

In the Mojave, betrayal was never without consequence. Some debts could only be paid in blood. As the crew went for drinks, Six's system quest notification sounded off.

Ding!

Black Box Lie Detector MK II:

Black Box Lie Detector buzzes any time anyone lies.

Six raised an eyebrow as the sleek device materialized in his inventory. It looked like an unassuming little black box, almost like a pre-war answering machine. But the description quickly caught his attention.

"Now that's... useful."

Six smirked, pocketing the device.

Rebecca peeked over his shoulder, her curiosity piqued.

"What's that, babe?"

"Black Box Lie Detector."

Six said with a grin.

"Looks like our justice system just got an upgrade."

Rebecca whistled low.

"That means no one's bullshitting us anymore. Nice."

The thought of interrogating the wasteland's scumbags with the help of this gadget-filled Six with grim satisfaction. This wasn't just any old prize—it was a rare tool that would prove invaluable for dealing with the Mojave's countless liars and schemers.

Rebecca grinned mischievously.

"Think we can use it to play a game sometime? Bet the kids would love that."

Six chuckled as he tossed her the box.

"Only if I get to use it first. Got some things I'd like to ask Boone, just for fun."

She laughed, leaning back into the bar seat.

"This is gonna bewaytoo much fun."

Level: 19

NAME: Six XI

GENDER: MALE

STRENGTH: 25

PERCEPTION: 16

ENDURANCE: 35

CHARISMA: 17

INTELLIGENCE: 16

AGILITY: 20

LUCK: 18

BARTER: 100

ENERGY WEAPONS: 36

EXPLOSIVES: 36

GUNS: 100

LOCKPICK: 39

MEDICINE: 100

MELEE WEAPONS: 39

REPAIR: 100

SCIENCE: 100

SNEAK: 39

SPEECH: 85

SURVIVAL: 39

UNARMED: 39