Alliance

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Vegas came into view a month and two days after we had traveled through the gate at the Wall. We were about two weeks behind schedule.

It felt like a lifetime had passed since we left the United Regions. Gone was the girl I was before. I killed a girl with my bare hands. Lived through torture from the hands of a madman. Watched an innocent murdered with a gunshot to the head. And tricked by a so-called friend.

The colorful lights of Vegas mocked the dark spots that were etched into my mind and soul.

"There it is," Ben said. The way he said it, made me think he was thinking the same thing. Of all the things we did of the mission, all the horrors we witnessed. Soon the mission would be done and we would be heading home.

"There it is," I echoed.

Ben kicked the bike back into life, Asher followed suit. The two raced down the old, battered road.

We watched the buildings grow larger and larger.

Vegas years ago was a place of sin. A place where a person can lose their values, money, and honor underneath the happy, playful lights. Since the war, the city had not changed. The city still maintained a great illusion under the colorful lights.

A large fence was built around Vegas. The fence was old sheets of metal signs covering large cement pieces that were old walls, floors, and ceilings of destroyed buildings.

Before the makeshift gate of the fence was a group of guards. They all wore black leather in the late summer heat. Each one held a large rifle and an attitude that they would shoot us if we did not abide by their rules.

The land surrounding the single street to the gate was bare. Buildings once stood on both sides but they were either blown up by the war or demolished later and pushed away. With the surrounding buildings of the Strip removed, it gave the occupants in Vegas the ability to see for miles. No one could sneak up on Vegas without Vegas knowing.

Finally arriving in Vegas felt like a fantasy. For a while, I had thought we would never arrive. Somewhere behind that gate was a bed I would be sleeping in tonight.

Ben and Asher stopped before the gate, the group of guards circled us. "Do you have an invitation?" a guard asked. His eyes were covered by aviator glasses like the rest of the guards but unlike rest, he sported a thick mustache.

"Chief Collins and Ensign Sparrow, we have an invitation from your leaders. We have two guests with us."

"Your guests are not authorized."

Ben shook his head, "Not according to your laws. All authorized people who are granted privilege into Vegas can bring one guest. We are two authorized people and we have two guests."

It was hard to keep the smug look off my face. Last night we called Dad stating we would arrive in Vegas today. We needed him to inform Vegas we would be arriving and to expect us.

We had also told Dad we wanted Olivia and Asher authorization to get into Vegas. Dad was unable to do it since they were not from the United Regions, but he was able to find a little loophole in the Vegas law that stated authorized personnel could invite one other person. Without us, Asher and Olivia could only get in if they had enough money or went through a lengthy screening process that took weeks.

The whole thing to me was foolish, that a person needed to have permission to enter a city. But when I thought about it, we were doing the same thing to Rebels and Wastelanders. They wanted in and we said no.

The guard nodded reluctantly. "Give your name to the office inside," he said to Olivia and Asher and ordered the gates open.

We rode through the gate into Vegas.