A big thanks to everyone who's reviewed, alerted, and favorited so far! THANKS, GUYS! Hope you all had an awesome holiday season.

This is kind of a transition chapter. Action-packed excitement will resume in the next update, which should come along pretty soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: QUARTER TO THREE

Ash slept through most of the day, waking occasionally but dozing off again soon after. It wasn't until a brief vision of House's unmoving green-hued face came to the forefront of her mind that she rolled out of bed. She put her clothes on slowly and took her time pulling her hair back into a neat bun – anything to delay the inevitable while she tried to come up with excuses. What was she going to say? Oops, fucked the guy and let him get away, sorry. She sure hoped it would sound better by the time she got to the penthouse. But like she had said to Boone, House wasn't really her boss. Wasn't like he could do much to her. Right?

Veronica and Boone were in the living room, playing cards for the billionth time, maybe. The scribe's voice carried on as it always did, but Ash didn't linger to hear the current topic of the one-sided discussion. Rex whined up at her as she hurried to the elevator, and she paused to scratch under his jaw before leaving. Sweet dog, even if he was half metal. So quiet and well-behaved she occasionally forgot he was there. She hit the button in the lift and soon enough the doors opened to House's brightly lit floor. She didn't get why he kept the penthouse lights so damn high while every other floor was dim. Except the cocktail lounge, maybe, but she only went there to restock the alcohol stores in the suite.

She passed by the whirring police securitrons, and that dark-haired 'female' one whose name she could never remember, down the stairs and through the curtained doorway, past the tall windows. Outside, the sun was getting lower, at its midpoint between noon and dusk. The Strip below kept the sky hot. Inside, Ash stood her ground in front of the monitor, hands crossed behind her back, fingers working against one another. Why she got so nervous around here she didn't quite know, maybe just the sheer size of the screen, or the unwavering expression on his –

"Ah, so you've returned at long last. I trust your rendezvous with Benny went well." House's voice was eloquent and calm, but something about his voice unsettled her as always.

She swallowed. "Well enough, I guess. He was back at the Tops last night."

"Yes, so I heard. And you managed to avoid a repeat of your first meeting with him, which I will take as a positive sign. However, he was seen leaving the city well before dawn. I assume you gained ownership of the chip prior to his departure."

Ash coughed. Her throat felt dry. "I, uh… No, not exactly. He snuck off before I could –"

"Oh." A pause hung in the air. "I see. Had I known you had been incapable of carrying out your mission, I would have cut him off at the gates."

She drew her brows together. "Look, I tried to —"

"Yes, you tried. Perhaps I've grown accustomed to dealing without the human element. Unpredictable, truly. But do not misunderstand me – I am not upset. If anything, it's merely a delay. I know exactly where he's headed."

"I – Oh, you do?" She blinked and relaxed.

"Yes. There is a bunker across the Hoover Dam which is accessed using the chip, and that bunker is his destination."

"Oh. You want me to go there right away?"

"No, no. Benny will have to prepare for the journey and find a suitable disguise, and that will likely take some time."

"A disguise? Wait, across the Dam is Legion territory."

"It is. Caesar sits almost directly above the bunker. And that, too, is precisely another reason why you should bide for time. From what I understand, your relationship with the Legion is less than desirable. To rush off into their midst would hardly be an intelligent choice, providing that you value living. Something tells me that you'll hear from them soon enough regarding our dear Benny."

"Oh. Okay." This wasn't at all what she had expected. "So just… hang around until someone shows up?"

"Or until I give you further instructions, yes. As I said, Benny has a great deal of planning ahead of him to bring his ideas to fruition."

"Okay. Got it." Ash turned to leave.

"Ah, and one more thing before you go."

"Yes?"

"Do try to avoid getting yourself killed out there."

Veronica was talking again. Or more aptly, she had not stopped talking. In some faint way, she reminded Boone of Carla, who had been able to pull conversations out of thin air. Back long before any of this had happened, back when they first met in Vegas, he would visit her at the Tops when she got off work and they would walk up and down the Strip together, fingers entwined, and look up at the faded night sky. She'd talk about everything, anything, and she made it all sound so interesting. Carla would talk until the sun rose and he'd listen to it all. He had smiled back then, back before all of this.

"…And it's like, come on, guys, of course pneumatic systems are way more reliable long-term." Veronica was eyeing the cards in her hand with great focus. "How the hell couldn't they know that, you know?"

Boone nodded. Carla had been much more well-spoken.

"Hmm." She reached up to scratch her head under that hood. Wasn't sure why she kept wearing it inside most of the time – maybe it was like Ash hiding the scar on her temple, except Ash had stopped doing that a while ago. Veronica laid her cards down on the table in a dramatic flourish. "Straight! Can't win 'em all, beret boy."

He shrugged and set his hand down for her to see.

"Ha! You've only got… Oh, come on, really?" She threw her hands up and leaned back. "I swear you cheat."

He slid the cards into a small pile to one side. "How?"

"You clearly… uh… Shit, I don't know." She frowned. "Maybe you're telepathic like that kid at the 188."

"Doubt it." There was a telepathic kid at the 188? How had he missed that? Boone shuffled the deck. "Like I've said, you show too much. Give away your whole hand in your face."

"Yeah, I was never one for withholding emotions. And hey, no more." She nodded to the cards. "You've crushed my enthusiasm for poker. For now, at least."

He breathed out a small sigh of relief. Not that he minded playing, but he thought she would've tired of it long before now. And she sure wasn't a challenge. Veronica was standing up when the elevator returned, and Rex bolted from his spot in front of the television to greet in the form of a bark.

"Hey, boy." Ash's voice. "Aw, you're always so happy to see me." She appeared in the doorway, looking surprisingly put together, all things considered. Rex padded along after her. "Hey, guys."

Veronica grinned. "Hey, sleepyhead. Where'd you run off to?"

Ash shrugged. "Had to clear up some things with House."

"Oh, sounds fun. You hungry? I can start on an early dinner."

"Sure." She stepped in as Veronica left, taking her seat at the table across from Boone. "Hey."

He nodded. He wasn't so sure how to go about things, not after last night and this morning. Ideally, he supposed he should forget about it all.

"So I heard something on the radio before about Fiend troubles at McCarran. You up for some old-fashioned problem solving tomorrow?"

He might've let a hint of amusement show on his face at that last phrase, because she raised her eyebrows. "Veronica, too?"

"Nah, just you and me, like the good ol' days of… last month." She smiled, warmth in her eyes.

He opened his mouth to respond but Veronica's voice carried in loudly from the next room. "You know, I can hear you guys in here. You're not being very subtle about going out without me."

Ash leaned towards the door and shouted back. "I don't think it's your kind of outing." She returned to her normal volume and addressed Boone again. "So, what do you say?"

He nodded. "Sure."

Veronica called in again, tone rich in mock displeasure. "Oh, fine. I see how it is. Don't mind me, I'll just be holding down the fort with Rex here." The dog whined from somewhere in the kitchen. "Hey, no, that's not what I meant, boy…" Her voice trailed off, likely whispering reassurances to Rex.

Ash was holding back an all-out grin. "So, anyway, good to have you along." She nodded to the deck on the table. "You up for a game, or did Veronica tire you out?"

Boone nodded. "Sure." He hadn't seen Ash play cards yet. He hoped she was better than Veronica. She had to be better.

"As long as it's not Caravan. Could never figure that out. I'll be right back." She left the room and returned a minute later as he was shuffling the deck. She sat and put her sunglasses on.

He raised a brow. "Really?"

She shrugged. "You've got a stone face. I've gotta match that somehow."