Author's Note: Enjoy!
"Die!" The Courier practically snarled, launching herself at Benny. With no weapons to speak of, she began swinging her fists at him, and got in a few good hooks before he pulled out a submachine gun, the name "Maria" scrawled elegantly along its shining black barrel. Benny laughed as he unloaded bullets into her, and the musty yellow wall behind her. New rage sparked through the Courier, memories from what was supposed to be her last night on this God-forsaken planet flooded through her brain, ebbing out any and all reason. Cocking her arms back and crashing her fists into him, she scarcely noticed the bullets ripping through her. Granted, they were light; but the Courier eventually became aggravated and struck "Maria", sending the gun skidding under the queen sized bed.
Benny fell to the floor, scrambling past her, hands wildly delving under the bed for his submachine gun. The Courier didn't relent, but maneuvered to slam her palms into his face. Benny howled in pain, and - pressing the muzzle against the Courier's calf - held the trigger down. The Courier screamed, relenting only a moment before finishing him off with a few strong hooks. Benny crumpled; the Courier slumped against the bed, heaving breaths in.
There was a sharp crack and Boone charged in, wielding a small combat knife; Rex ran to the Courier and whined, attempting to lick her wounds before she shooed him away with a wave of her leather-encased hand. The Courier withdrew a Super Stimpack from her armor, rolled up her sleeve, outstretched her arm, and slid the metal point into her scarred skin. Boone entered just as she sighed in relief, the medicine already working its magic.
Boone glanced from her, to the checkered corpse. The Courier looked up at him and smiled weakly; she bent over the body and rummaged through Benny's deep pockets.
"Gotcha!" The Courier held a platinum chip between her bloodied fore- and middle fingers. With a second's consideration, she wrestled the patterned jacket off of Benny. The Courier glanced at Boone and shrugged, stripping the top of her armor off unabashedly. Boone looked to the decaying wall, but not before noticing a multitude of abrasive scars and purple-on-green bruises on her torso. The Courier slipped the jacket on over her bra and whistled; Boone gradually looked back. She was modeling her victim's ghastly jacket, turning from side to side in various poses. Rex howled appreciatively, and Boone let loose the tiniest smirk.
"I didn't know you were such a Black Widow."
After switching Benny's suit out for a more Mojave-worthy set of reinforced leather armor the Courier led them back down to The Tops' lobby, where weapons were briefly restored to their rightful owners. Boone was just attempting to inquire about who Benny was, and why he was worth trekking countless miles for when they were rushed just outside of The Tops' grand doors.
"The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments, and bestows upon you the exceptional gift of his Mark."
"What? Creepy…" the Courier eloquently muttered, giving the Mark a once-over before shoving it into the small leather satchel wound about her hips. Rex growled savagely at Vulpes Inculta, or more accurately, at Vulpes Inculta's hat. Neither act, nor Boone's incessant glaring, seemed to trouble the Frumentarii.
"Oh, hey! I know you!" The Courier chirped. Vulpes' pale lips turned up just the slightest at the corners.
"You know him?" Boone's voice turned icy, the accusation stung the Courier.
"Not in the friendly-way! In the he-threatened-me-way!" Narrowing her eyes at Vulpes she added, "I didn't recognize you at first without that wolf on your head."
"If that canine doesn't stop his ceaseless snarling, I'd be happy to substitute him." Vulpes smirked wickedly.
During this exchange, the Courier felt Boone's hand glide over her waist to her hip, from behind; she felt a few tugs before Caesar's Mark was hurled through the air by the sniper. Boone unholstered his scoped hunting rifle and took the shot, hitting the golden coin that had briefly blazed like the Sun in flight. A quick, piercing sound rang and the Mark landed dejectedly on the dirty Vegas road, a black hole scored through it.
This seemed to unhinge the otherwise apathetic Vulpes; he was on the Courier before Boone could reload, but not before Rex could sink his honed fangs into the flesh of Vulpes' thigh. Through the hail of strikes, the Courier managed to whip out a thick gray hatchet and carve it into Vulpes' shoulder. Finally having backed up several yards and reloaded, Boone took a quick shot, catching Vulpes in the cheek. A few more strong strikes with the hatchet and with Rex gnawing on his wrist and Vulpes went down, crumpling in his dapper gambler's wear.
"Crucify that, bitch." The Courier spat in between painful gasps. Blood leaked from her cheek, neck and arm and when she turned to walk back to Boone, she favored her right leg.
"Are you alright?" Boone placed one large hand on her left shoulder, pivoting her somewhat to inspect her body for damage.
"Nothing a shot o' liquor won't cure."