United States: 2021 (alternate timeline (no Biden, no trump, no corona)
President Manford sat in the Oval Office, the curtains were drawn shut and door was guarded from the outside. The General, Arthur Jackson placed a dossier on the desk, and slid it across. This was a private discussion, with only the head of security, army personnel, the CIA, and a scientist were the only ones in the room. The president slid it around and opened the document.
"What is it we are dealing with?" The president said as he read the document.
"That's the issue, we do not know, what do can tell is the thing is giving off low level radiation, nothing that can produce cancer in the long term, it's like being near a radio tower......but.....that's the issue, what ever it is......it's sending a signal." The scientist said.
"What is it saying?" The president asked, looking at the scientist.
A photo of a glowling wall of light, roughly 30 feet wide, and 15 ft tall, in the middle of no-where, according to the map of the location
The general, and a CIA director looked at the scientist for the response. The scientist pulled out a thumb drive, and plugged it into a laptop.
"We have been able to clean up about, worth." He said, opening the audio file and clicking play.
"You're listening to Mr. New Vegas, you little jukebox in the Mojave wasteland, I'm Mr. New Vegas and I'm here for you. We got some news for you coming right up." A smooth voice said.
"New Vegas? Mojave wasteland? The anomaly isn't in that region, it shouldn't be able to pick up anything from Vegas." The CIA director said.
"That's not all, we have also found out....that it's possible to have objects cross. It won't affect life, but it will damage some higher tech electronics. We learned that when we tried to send a drone through. To put it simply, the only information that comes through is radio. We would need to have a cable connected to a camera to get any data, I think it would be easier to connect a data stream to a harness, but machinery is risky" The general said.
"So....what are you saying?" The president asked.
"I'm saying......a human trial is needed." The scientist said.
-weeks later-
"Ok, first human crossing, preparing, tow like secure, team ready. Microphone check. Ok, This is William T. David. I am approaching, the anomaly now." The man said.
He wore a harness with a large cable, so he could be pulled back. He walked up to the glowing light, before stepping in, and finding himself in a town......or the remains of one.
Looking around, he found himself in a small rundown town, with a fallen tree, and....a tire fire, no, not just tires, there were the remains of people....dozens of them, bones charred the skin was all but gone, burned away, bits of cloth. Poles with flags that had a bull symbol flew were on the side of the road. Walking around more, he found the main road leading out of town.
He looked out, seeing a lifeless wasteland. The road was long and lead up a hill, where two large statues were located. Turning back, the man walked back, before turning, and seeing 6 phone posts, with people tied to them, almost like they were crucifier. He saw a handful of people, and two dogs at the end of the road, with burning piles on both sides. One wore goggles that obscured his eyes, but he could feel them glaring at him, digging into his very being.
William turned back, following the wire back and picking it up as he ran, "need to get the fuck out of here" raced through his mind, and left through the hole of light, panting heavily, before he found himself back on the other side of the anomaly. Falling to his knees he breathed heavily, needing to catch his breathe, as the guards ran to his side, helping him up, testing for radiation levels on him, any changes.
"What did you see?" the scientist questioned, holding a note pad.
"I think the army may be needed. Cause, I saw what looked like a destroyed town, shit is completely fucked. What ever is there, is human, and It's not the good kind." was all William said.
-On the otherside of the anomaly, Days before-
"Well, if we wait here, the courier will be coming this through here, closest water source, before he has to go through here." A man in a checkered suit said to two gangsters.
The man took out his engraved lighter and light a Pyramid brand cigarette, smoking one as he waited. The two gangsters sat on the rocks near by, taking off their leather vests to cool down, they stayed mostly hidden from being seen from the road. They looked at the man in the checkered suit, as he continued to smoke his cigarette. He ran a comb through his hair.
The group he came with was was originally 6, but now there were 5, got lucky with that
They waited till night, before a man came walking along a road. The hired thugs who were treated like gangsters opened fire, along with the man in the suit. The courier who was walking along dove behind a rock, and took aim. He shot the man in the suit, before a bullet flew into the man's head, straight through his eye. One of the thugs walked over the the suit, kicking his arm, dead, shot was right between the eyes, not after turning the head to see the shot.
"Great, the suit's dead, now what do we do?" the first man asked.
"Dump the bodies in the ditch, I'm taking that SOB's lighter though." The other man said, grabbing the engraved lighter and unique cigarettes, along with a pistol that was well decorated, having a picture on the grip.
As the bodies were dumped, the courier was shot a few more times in the chest, to make sure he was dead.
"Guess it's back to Red Rock." The ganger said.
"Fucking waste of time, lost the caps and all we got out was a fucking lighter and some cigs." the other said, as he walked away.
The courier's body was checked, found a few rounds, a box with a poker chip, and a letter.
"Dumb ass did this for 250 caps. Worthless." the thug said, tossing the box to the ground and walked away, joining the rest of his group.
