Author's Note: How are you guys liking the story so far? I know the chapter lengths are a problem, but please let me know if there is anything else you would like to see or share some of your opinions. I suppose I could give more details to the surrounding environments and buildings like many other writers do, but hell...most of us have played the game and know what these things look like. I'll still try to include more of it as well as better character development. Anyway, enjoy chapter 5 and feel free to leave a review.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fallout characters, nor the source material. The only character who came from my own imagination is the name and personality of the Courier, (and I don't own the "Courier" name, either). Oh, and I will probably make some references to Elvis Presley and his songs (and I don't own those either).

Chapter 5: Treat Me Nice

Good god, she felt uncomfortable as hell. Boone did not share her sentiments about the "tourist" clothes. It was smart to wear something besides the usual armor while pretending to be innocent suckers. When Boone and Raven went shopping, all they could really find were a few sets of pre-war clothes. She got talked out of wearing the plaid vest and beige slacks by Boone. When she asked why, his explanation was frustrating, but valid.

"You really think this Orris guy is going to take you seriously if you're dressed up like that?"

Raven grunted. "How would wearing a dress make him take me seriously?"

Boone smirked at her as he lowered his sunglasses a little, staring at her. "It won't, but he'll be too distracted to care."

Yeah, exactly what she wanted to hear. A man staring at her ass while playing her bodyguard around Freeside. "You sure know how to make a lady swoon, Boone," she uttered as she reached for a green dress.

Raven walked at a sluggish pace as she approached the north gate. Boone was already in position with his rifle on top of a building somewhere. They both decided it was less suspicious if she went alone. Why would she want a bodyguard if she already had another with her? Made perfect sense. Her friend from Novac assured her that he would shoot Orris if the asshole tried anything. Raven was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she knew this. But ever since Goodsprings...well, it was just nice to have someone watch her back.

A breeze blew up against her, causing the skirt of the green dress to dance in the wind. And to expose her milky white thighs, as well. A few bystanders noticed this as she pushed the skirt down, her cheeks flushing a bright red when they whistled at her. The girl really wished she had her pistol handy to shut them up. As she pretended to find something interesting on the ground, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued her pace. Just then she saw something flash out of the corner of her eye. She looked up immediately, but Raven saw nothing that could cause it so she shrugged it off. Raven almost thought she heard a very loud and very distinct laugh up on the nearest building and shook her head. At least Boone was getting a kick out of her situation.

Raven walked toward a few men by the gate. A man in spiked metal armor saw her and his lips curled into a lustful smile. The courier felt his eyes travel below her neck and her spine shivered in disgust, and all too familiar feeling. Faking a smile and batting her eyelashes at him made her feel sick.

"Excuse me, but are you Orris?"

The man nodded. "If you need to cross Freeside, no one will keep you safer than I will." He smiled again, this time a bit more sincerely and less crudely.

"So I've heard. How much for your services?" she asked.

"Two hundred caps gets you my watchful eye for a trip to the south gate." he answered, licking his lips at the end.

Raven wanted to punch him. Kick him in the balls. Hell, she wanted to kill him. "Maybe I could pay him more to keep his eyes to himself," she thought. Instead, she took a deep breath in order to keep her 'damsel in distress' face on. "Okay, I'll hire you."

"Done and done." After reaching into her bag and handing him two hundred caps, he escorted her away from the other men with a gentle hand at the curve of her back. "I want to mention a few things up front. In order to ensure your safety..." he continued, leaning into her ear a little to whisper. It made Raven's skin crawl. "I need you to follow my instructions to the letter. We'll be heading down the main street here the whole way. No detours. You go off sightseeing and I go off to find another customer."

"Yeah, right."

"Now, usually I keep a brisk pace but..." he rubbed Raven's back suggestively. "We can go slow, if you want."

Yep. She was going to kill him.

Boone set himself up on a roof and kept himself crouched as he looked through the scope of his rifle. He immediately found his partner just in time for a gust of wind to catch her outfit. He chuckled to himself as he watched her body language. He saw movement as she attempted to regain her confidence and he aimed his rifle at the corner of the building. His jaw dropped when he saw a man with a camera taking her picture. A man wearing a leather jacket and black pants with another grease in his hair to lubricate a jet engine. Despite himself, the sniper with the 1st recon hat became capricious with laughter. It was childish at best, but Boone had to give credit where it was due. He doubted their leader knew Raven would be in a dress, but the sniper knew what the deadly courier's reaction would be if she ever found out about it. Priceless.

All she wanted at this point was a nice, hot bath to soak in. Or at least a small tub to soak her ankles and feet in. Raven was pretty sure her feet were the size of gecko heads by now. "I am never wearing high heels EVER AGAIN!" she yelled inside her head.

Orris suddenly stopped walking, and she was thankful for the rest. Her hopes were short-lived, however. The cocky bodyguard turned to her and said, "Hold on. I don't like the look of some of those men ahead. Let's take a different way around."

Raven looked past him and saw some men up ahead. There were four men just...standing there. What was this guy up to? The King told her to spot suspicious behavior. Well, this was pretty damn suspicious to her. Convenient, as well. Taking a different way around meant a detour into a secluded area.

"Shit." Raven was hoping Boone managed to keep up. In an attempt to fake fear, she widened her eyes at Orris. "O-Okay."

Orris smirked at her. "Relax. Just hang on to me if you're scared. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Says the wolf in sheep's clothing..." she thought to herself.

Before she could say anything, Orris wrapped an arm around her and led her down the side street. As they walked, Raven saw movement in her peripherals. She caught a glimpse of a maroon colored beret and smiled to herself. Orris saw her smile and mistook it for something else entirely. He held her closer to him and Raven felt the urge to snap his neck rise with heat into her eyelids. She couldn't wait until this stupid thing was over. First thing she wanted to do - after changing into decent clothes – was go back to the King's place and stab him in the leg with a fork. No, it wasn't the King's fault. It wasn't his idea to get her dolled up in a dress. It was Boone's idea. She was going to stab the sniper in the leg with a fork.

Orris abruptly pulled her behind a rusted old car and looked into her eyes. "Wait here a second. I'll deal with these no good punks."

Nodding in agreement, Raven crouched down as Orris turned and ran toward the corner. Her eyes hardened as she immediately hustled in a crouch to the side of the car to take a peek at where he was going. As she neared the front, she lifted her head slightly. Just in time to see him pull out his gun and fire three shots. Four men fell down instantly. Raven narrowed her eyes as she lowered herself and scooted to the back of the car. Three shots, but four men? Either this guy was a good shot or he was complete shit. Heavy footsteps soon approached her, and she looked up at Orris. She faked a look of shock as he grabbed her by the arms and helped her stand up. The woman didn't know if he was a being chivalrous or pushy. He smiled at her gently.

"See? Nothing to worry about. If you had hired one of those other hacks, you'd be up to your ass in lowlife right about now," he said.

Raven looked over at the men by the corner, but raised a brow and looked back at Orris pretending to be surprised. "Hey, you only fired three shots and there are four guys there..."

Orris looked unhinged at the revelation. "Er, noticed that, did you? I keenly aimed one of the shots through some soft tissue of one of them to hit the man behind him."

"Brahmin shit...total bullshit. Even Boone isn't that damn good." Raven's stifled laugh was seen as an impressed giggle. Orris pulled her closer to him and immediately she grew nervous. "Well, I suppose we better get going."

When she tried to move away, Orris tightened his grip. "Hey, what's the rush, honey?"

"U-Um..." she stammered. "I have an appointment." "For fuck's sake, Raven. That's the best you can come up with?"

"Now now, don't lie to me, baby. Don't tell me you didn't feel a connection with me." He leaned in closer, blowing hot breath on her neck.

She turned her head away in disgust. She looked at where the fallen men were...only to find them gone. She had a sinking feeling in her gut when she heard yelling and loud noises up on the roof of the building behind Orris. Before she could stop herself, she yelled out her companion's name.

Orris snickered. "Oh, so you do know him. Too bad. Guess you got no where to run." He grasped the back of her neck, while his other hand savagely lurched onto a clothed breast.

His lips were smashed onto hers as she let out a scream.

Oooh, dark. I know. What a cliffhanger. I don't whether to continue onto the next chapter now or wait a bit, lol. Honestly, I haven't even thought of what will happen in the next chapter...