He was glad the kid kept quiet. Manny had expected endless chattering, but Lottie had simply sat down next to his feet to read a book Cliff Briscoe had lent her from the store. Sometimes she'd ask a question or make a comment, but they were few and far between, he was happy to say. Fewer distractions that way.

The welcome quiet was interrupted, however, when a boom almost busted his eardrums. Out of the corner of his eye, a bright flash illuminated the landscape in a bright orange glow. Manny leaned out of Dinky's mouth, and looked towards the RepConn facility, where a long trail of smoke snaked up into the darkening sky behind three rockets. It certainly made for an incredible sight, but it was lost on the ex-NCR. Something told him it was that red haired woman's doing. When he'd asked her to clear the place out in exchange for information on her would-be killer, he didn't necessarily have a giant explosion in mind. But what really concerned him was who might be curious about it and come running to find out what was going on. There was Nelson nearby, of course, and it was overrun with Legion scumbags.

"I think Miss Angel likes blowing stuff up." Lottie said quietly, looking up from her spot next to Manny. "She blew up those bad men at home too. And the other people we met when we were coming here." Lottie went back to her book Cliff had loaned her, as if everything was as it should be. Manny raised an eyebrow at her reaction. Weird kid.

"I guess that means she's done it. Better hold up my end of the deal." He muttered to himself, looking back towards the facility. The last bit of sunlight was fading, and the stars blinked into existence one by one. Manny shouldered his rifle and opened the door, motioning for Lottie to follow. They descended the steps down into Cliff's store, pausing only to let Lottie return her book. Manny had just opened the door to leave the store when he noticed the doorway was blocked by a tall figure.

"Boone." He answered quietly, looking him square in the eye.

"Manny." Boone replied, the hint of anger in his voice as usual.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Manny stepped aside, pulling Lottie with him. Wordlessly, Boone passed them and headed up to the nest, Manny watching him all the way. When he felt a tug on his shirt, he looked down at Lottie.

"What just happened?" she asked, hugging Patches close.

"Nothing to worry about kid." He said assured her, tussling her hair.

Damn, now he needed a drink.

"Howdy there, partner!"

'Oh, just shoot me now,' Angel mentally groaned. She'd been hoping to head straight for Manny's room uninterrupted. With her luck, she probably should've known better. "Um, hi, Victor. What brings you here?"

"Got an itching to mosey on to the Strip not too long after you left Goodsprings. Don't rightly know why, though." The robot chirped, the friendly cowboy face flickering on screen, "Listen, between you and me, Novac's a nice enough place, but when I rolled into town, my skin started to itch… Watch yourself."

The unusually ominous tone of the perpetually chipper robot sent a chill up her spine. The hell was this all about? "Well, then, I better scoot on out of here soon, shouldn't I?" Angel said, more to herself than Victor.

"Sounds like a mighty fine idea. You might fancy buying one a' them dino-saur doo-hickeys up in the gift shop 'fore you go. They're real popular, I hear." Victor suggested before rolling away towards the road, disappearing into the starry night.

Looking up at Dinky, Angel searched for Manny, but instead found herself looking at the mouth of the dinosaur, where the other sniper, Boone, was surely standing guard. For some reason, she thought she could feel him looking at her. Unnerved, Angel looked away and trudged to the motel, hoping to get the info Manny promised her and maybe even crash on his floor. It'd been one hell of a day, running errands for crazy religious ghouls and fighting. At the rate her journey was going, Angel was beginning to doubt she'd ever catch up with her would-be killer.

When she stepped inside Manny's room, she found he was already asleep in one bed, and the other was taken up by Lottie and Patches. The glow of the terminal in the back of the room was the only source of light, and the new object of her curiosity. She tiptoed as quietly as she could towards the desk, and wasted no time in poling her nose in Manny's business. Hell, as far as she was concerned, she was just being nice and letting him rest. Lucky for her, the information she was looking for was already pulled up, just waiting for her perusal.

"Miss Angel?"

At the sound of her name, Angel turned to face Lottie, who blearily looked up at her from the bed. "Did I wake you? I'm sorry sweetie. Go back to sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Silently, the child opened her arms, reaching out for her. Just as quietly, Angel shut off the terminal and set aside her weapons before crawling in beside Lottie, tucking her against her side. Again, déjà vu hit Angel. Something about a child…

"Miss Angel, I think you need to help out that Boone man." Lottie whispered. "Lots of other people were talking about his wife today. They said she disappeared. I think that's why he seems so angry."

Angel resisted the urge to groan. Another errand to run. But there was no denying that her curiosity was piqued again. Maybe this was what Victor was talking about? 'No, I shouldn't get involved. This has real bad shit written all over it.' Angel told herself. If a robot said there was something wrong, then something was really wrong.

"Please help him, Miss Angel. Manny says he was nice before. Maybe he can be nice again." Lottie insisted. Angel didn't need any light to know she was pulling the puppy dog eyes. Damn.

"We'll see in the morning. Go to sleep, Lottie." Angel said, sighing.

'I am such a pushover…'

Her plan had been to grab supplies from Doctor Ada and Cliff before Boone left the sniper nest, but apparently the universe had other ideas. Ada, for some reason, had decided to be extra stubborn that morning about her prices for bandages and healing poultice. Though considering it was just before dawn, Angel reluctantly admitted to herself it was probably justified on the doctor's part. After about half an hour, she got fed up and paid for the supplies. She hurried to the gift store to pick up more ammo after the previous day's adventure, hoping Cliff was already up as well.

It was just as she opened the door to Cliff's store that she bumped into none other than the permanently scowling sniper himself. 'Thank you, Universe.' Angel thought unhappily. She stepped aside to let him pass, but he simply stood there, staring at her.

"What, do I have something on my face?" Angel quipped. 'Other than a new bandage holding my scrambled brains in?' she added mentally. Normally she'd have her scarf covering her healing wound, but she decided to give it to Lottie, who had nothing to keep the sun off her face.

A few moments pass by before he answered with his own question. "Why are you here?" he asked bluntly.

"Why are you asking?"

"You were helping Manny. Maybe you can help me." Boone stepped out on to the small steps, shutting the door behind him. "I need someone I can trust. You're a stranger. That's a start."

Angel could only imagine Lottie somehow bending reality to her will to ensure she helped this guy. Damn it, she needed to get to Boulder! "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to find something out for me. I don't know if there's anything to find, but I need someone to try."

She could feel another bout of running around the desert coming on.

"My wife was taken from our home by Legion slavers one night while I was on watch. They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don't know who."

Oh, well… Shit. Victor was right about this place.

"You're trying to track her down?" Seemed like he should be tagging along, then. The last time she took on Legionaries alone, she almost died.

Boone shook his head. "My wife's dead. I want the son of a bitch who sold her."

"So what do I do when I find the guy who did it?" Angel asked, crossing her arms. "Beat 'em into a bloody pulp, turn 'em into swiss cheese… Any personal preference?"

"No, I kill him myself. Bring him out in front of the nest while I'm on duty. I work nights." Boone reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a red beret, similar to his own but slightly less worn. "This'll be the signal, so I know you're with him."

"I'll do what I can." She answered, taking the beret from him. Well, what was one more day of waiting?

"Good. I'll make it worth your while." Boone adjusted the rifle on his back as he descended the steps, "We shouldn't speak until it's over. If the bastard who sold Carla finds out I know what happened, the Legion'll be after both of us next."

"Er, they're already after me." Angel gave him a wry smile, scratching her head. "I kinda killed some of them. I think one of them was Wool-per…uh, Wool-Pee—"

"Vulpes Inculta?"

"Yeah, that guy. I just call him Dog Breath." She answered.

For a moment she thought she could see a smirk on his face before he turned away again. She supposed it was a trick of the light. "Boone." She said suddenly, something about his earlier words nagging at her. "How do you know your wife's dead?"

Boone looked at her over his shoulder for a moment. Then he spoke, ever so quietly.

"I just know."

Angel tucked the bill of sale into her pants pocket, hands shaking with fury. She wanted nothing more than to beat Jeannie May into a bloody fucking pulp and bury her alive. How could she do that to another human being? And, from what she gathered, one who had done nothing to her! Carla Boone didn't seem to like the small town atmosphere of Novac, but that wasn't a bad thing. Might've been a bit snobbish in some people's minds, but it was hardly a crime. And hell, Angel couldn't really blame her for wanting a ritzier lifestyle. Sure beat scraping by in the wasteland.

At least it didn't take much to draw Jeannie May out. She didn't even have to give her a good reason! Now if only every bad guy was just as dumb… Looking over, Angel glared at the back of Jeannie May's head as she stared out into the waste, searching for something that wasn't there.

"I don't see anything." The old woman said, craning her neck as she looked from side to side.

"It's there, see?" Angel whispered, pointing out in no particular direction. As Jeannie May took a few steps further, Angel slipped the Boone's beret out of her pocket and gently tugged it down over her bandages. Now she just had to wait.

When the old woman's head exploded and Angel's face and shirt were dripping with blood, Angel looked down at the body. She debated on whether or not to dispose of it, but eventually left it were it had fallen, figuring whatever desert critter stumbled on it would be grateful for the free meal.

"Nice shooting, Tex." Angel greeted him as she stepped inside the nest. "Especially with sunglasses on at night. The NCR must really be missing you."

Boone was not one to mince words. But that was okay. "How did you know?"

In answer, Angel held out the bill of sale. He took it from her hands, clutched it tightly as he read it, and crumbled it when he finished. The look in his eyes…well, it was definitely scary as hell. He turned around to face the desert again, hunched over, hands against the edge of Dinky's mouth. For a while, they just stood there, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. She guessed he was probably thinking of killing every Legionnaire in the world. Seemed like a nice idea to her.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked quietly, stepping up beside him.

"I don't know." He sighed, standing straight. "I won't be staying, that I know. Don't see much point in anything right now…except hunting Legionaries."

"Hey, that sounds like a good plan to me." Angel agreed, crossing her arms. "Know what, you should come with me."

Boone scoffed, looking down at her. "You don't want that."

"Oh? Don't snipers work in pairs?" Angel countered, staring up at him.

He gave a humorless chuckle. "Yeah. Working alone…it's a lot less effective. I've been there…" He looked back out over the wasteland, his cold smile fading. "…and paid for it."

He was quiet for a moment again before he turned to leave, Angel following. "But this isn't going to end well."

"Only if we don't take out a good bit of the Legion. I'll be pissed if I don't make it higher up on their shit list before kicking the bucket."

"Hnh. Maybe you're okay…" he trailed off, waiting for her.

"Angel. My name's Angel." She answered as they left the store. "But that might change when I remember what I'm really called."

"You don't know?" She could hear the skepticism, loud and clear.

"For now…I hope." She pulled off the beret to point at her bandages, which probably needed changing soon. "Got shot and buried about a couple of weeks ago. Guy who did it did a really shitty job. Didn't even make sure I was dead! I mean, honestly, that should be the first thing to do! Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"So now you're after him, right?"

"Yup. Well, and taking the kid to the Strip. She says she has family there."

"Why is she with you then?"

Angel paused in her tracks, images of Nipton flashing in her mind. "Nipton got hit hard by the Legion. That's where I took down Dog Breath and met her." She explained as she started moving again.

Boone fell into step with her. "The whole town was wiped out?"

"Yeah. She was the only one I saw there. I hope someone else got out, but I doubt it."

They both grew quiet as they approached the motel, Boone heading for his room and Angel heading for Manny's. "We'll leave at noon. The fucker won't sit in Boulder forever." She said as she opened the door and stepped inside.

"Angel."

She leaned back to peer around the doorframe at Boone. "Yeah?"

"Thank you." He said, then disappeared before she could speak.

"You're welcome." Angel yawned, closing the door behind her.