"Smoothskin. Tell me again why we are here?"

"Because I need you to remind me I need to fucking do this."

"And what is this?"

"Get a bodyguard."

"And we are spying on Ahz why?"

"Cause he has a bodyguard and I want one. Cause Doc won't let me test his serum without someone else with me." Knox coughed. "This shit is messed up."

"And I am looking at the biggest mess in the Wastes." Win snorted.

"You know why I like you, Win? You remind me of my friends. One is a smartass bitch named Amata. The other is a smartmouth jackass named Butch."

"Are they ghouls?"

"Worse. Vault kids." Knox cast his eyes over the tall man in the corner of the bar. Didn't this guy ever sit down? On that note, did he ever take a dump or something? A flicker of a pale gaze focused on him. Knox, caught staring, turned to his cola and downed the whole bottle, burning his throat with the fizz. He closed his eyes, coughed then glanced at the tall guy again under his mop of hair. Shit. This was one person that he didn't mind being hurt by. It was the aura, really. That utter 'didn't give a flaming fuck'ness that he had. It was someone who wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger at his head if he stepped out of line.

"He's scary, Win," he said in a harsh whisper that he couldn't quite place as his own. Well, fuck. This wasn't the first time he was intimidated by that creepy shit. The bouncer's glare…stare...whatever that he focused on everyone in the bar was ten times worse than those Knox got for being a smoothskin and socialising with ghouls.

"Yeah, yeah. His heart's in the right place, though, for someone who's been programmed like that," Winthrop said, sounding mellow and a little bit pitiful. Sure, it wasn't the first time Knox heard that line from him. He wondered how Winthrop kept to that same face and tone while saying similar things. He wondered how Win knew that at all. Bouncer's gaze was on him again. He could feel the focus crawl across his back then dip down his spine. Knox marvelled the timely spikes of his own perception; they never worked when he was avoiding Deathclaws.

"Barkeep." Knox found himself nervously drumming his fingers over the counter, eyes shifting over to the towering bouncer who just upped the intensity of his gaze because he was standing near Ahzrukhal. Knox coughed.

"You should see Doctor Barrows about that cough. But get another drink before you do. What's your poison, smoothskin?"

"Your man in the corner." Ahz widened his eyes then a slow smirk made its way to his ruined lips. The soft plink of the glass mug on the counter alerted Knox that Ahz was pouring himself a drink. Knox stopped drumming his fingers on the counter, watching instead the crooked fingers curling around a bottle of whiskey.

"And how do you want him?" Uh. What? Tied up, choked and driven onto a stake. Killing the guard dog Cerberus. Breaking chairs and tables with a rusty fork. He shuddered at the images, though he'd very much like to see the last two scenarios. He met the barkeep's eyes for a moment before glancing back at the bodyguard. The bodyguard was watching him intently, hand discreetly pressed on the barrel of his shotgun. There was promised hostility in that gaze and Knox turned away.

"Uh. Alive." He coughed. "I wanna hire him."

"I've had him for so many years now. So long as he is my employee, he is as gentle as a teddy bear." Ahz tipped the murky mug on his lips. Knox watched his Adam's apple bob with the gulp of alcohol. His eyes flitted over to the bouncer again. Patches attempted to speak to the bouncer yet again and got shoved violently into a chair. Talk. To. Ahzrukhal. "His company is rather refreshing isn't it? But don't mistake his brevity for stupidity. That would be very unwise." He set the mug down. Knox realised he loved the smooth way Ahz spoke. "How do you intend to pay for him?"

"Uh. Caps? Or…" Ah well. Fuck it. "What is your poison, barkeep?"

"1000 for the contract." Ahz eyed him up and down while Knox forced himself to be still. With unexpected agility, Ahz grabbed his shirt and hauled him close. "Get rid of Greta for me, and you can have the contract for free," he rasped into his ear.

"Fuck no."

"Then 2000 caps."

"You said 1000-"

"I meant 2000."

Knox smouldered as he licked his lower lip. Shit. Were all bar owners major assholes? A low growl escaped his lips.

"You'll get your fucking caps."