Author's note: The song for this chapter is Lorde - Team.

Shout out to my boys from Civil Air Patrol for providing the inspiration and character models for three of the four Rivet City security officers who have to deal with Elle. You were all great cadets who have grown into fine young men.

Compromising Positions

Trielle

"We have to stop them before they get here," I said bluntly. "It'll raise too many questions if they make it to Rivet City. We have to get rid of them quickly and quietly."

"You're right," Harkness replied. "I don't want them getting anywhere near the people on this boat. They're in no position to defend them from whatever Zimmer's death is calling down upon us."

"That too," I said, ashamed to realize that I was more concerned with keeping his secret than with the welfare of an entire city of people, most of them good, decent folk who definitely didn't deserve another ration of shit from the wasteland.

"Get your gear together, Elle," he said shortly. "We leave in an hour. Can you track those things with your Pip-Boy?"

"I think so," I replied, "but are you sure that we can take down three assassins between just the two of us?"

"We have to," he said starkly. "As you said, there will be too many questions about where they came from and why they're here if anyone finds out about them. Can I count on you not to spread my secret around?"

I was momentarily offended that he felt like he even needed to ask the question. "Of course," I said stiffly. "You should know me better than that by now. I would never betray you like that."

"I know that, Elle." His eyes pled with me to understand where he was coming from. "But you know why I have to ask. This is the rest of my life we're talking about here."

"I realize that," I said, my anger melting like ice in the sun under the force of his regard. "This stays between the two of us, until you say otherwise."

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

My attention was drawn from this mildly touching moment by the sounds of multiple sets of feet scuffling in front of my door, and the muffled conversation that ensued. It sounded like the entire contingent of Rivet City security guards who had accompanied us to the library was currently massing outside my hotel room.

"I'm not going in there, Hoppi. You go in there."

"I'm not going in. Stouffer, you force it open."

"Fuck you, Hoppi! You saw what she did to those super mutants. Forehand, you take point on this one."

"Nuh-uh, man. She's got that hand cannon. I don't need an extra hole to breathe through. Edwards, nut up man and get in there. You got the big gun."

"I'd rather kiss a deathclaw, asshole. Besides, I already got shot this week. It's someone else's turn."

"Oh for god's sake!" That was Lana Danvers, assistant security chief and general pain in my ass. "Get out of the way, you bunch of crybabies! I'll take point, since you lot can't seem to stop wetting your armor long enough to arrest one woman." I reached for my gun as she forced the door open, fully intending to shoot first and ask questions later, but Harkness stopped me.

"Elle, no!" He grabbed my hand with inhuman speed, just as I had it on my gun and was turning toward the door. I'm sure he only meant to stay my hand, but his android strength jerked me off balance sufficiently that I lost my footing and ended up sprawled along his length, straddling him as he fell back on the bed. His hand slipped inside my waistband, trapping my hand on my inside-the-pants holster, and that was how Danvers found us as she burst through the door, gun pointed straight at my head.

"Trielle Miraven, you are wanted for questioning in the deaths of Doctor Zimmer and his bodyguard, Armitage. Put your hands up and come with us quietly, and nobody will get hurt."

"I can't put my hands up," I said, doing my very best to keep my tone level and non-threatening. "At least, not until Harkness lets go of them. I don't want any trouble." I tried to tug my hand free from his grasp, quirking an eyebrow at him in a silent entreaty to release me so I could face Danvers on my feet.

"Trust me," he said softly, capturing my gaze with his. "Please, just trust me to deal with this?" I nodded minutely and he relaxed his grip on my hand.

"Harkness?" Danvers peered around me at the mention of his name, then shook her head in wonderment. "Damn, boss! You do get around, don't you? Sorry to barge in on you again, but Doctor Li's having hysterics in your office and saying that your girl…um…friend shot two people in her lab."

"That's fine, Lana," Harkness said mildly. "Do you mind if we get up now?"

"Sure, boss," Danvers replied, still covering me with her weapon. Harkness put his hands around my waist to steady me as I climbed off of him and turned to face Danvers, who immediately renewed her demand that I put my hands up where she could see them.

"That won't be necessary, Lana," Harkness admonished her. "I'll make sure that Elle behaves. What's the situation?"

"Doctor Li came rushing into the security room about fifteen minutes ago, covered in green goop and screaming about foul play in her lab," Danvers said. "We finally got some sense out of her, and she claims that Elle ran into her lab while she was having a technical discussion with Doctor Zimmer, shot him and his bodyguard without provocation, looted their bodies, and then ran off to parts unknown."

"Technical discussion," I started. "She was…"

"Elle!" Harkness put his finger over my lips to silence me. "You said you'd let me handle this." Even knowing what he was didn't dampen the effect his touch had on me, and for a moment, I contemplated licking his finger, just to see how he'd react, but decided that riling the man up while he was trying to get me out of trouble was probably a bad idea.

"Then what?" he asked Danvers.

"We couldn't find you," Danvers continued ", and Vera said she'd seen Elle heading toward her room, so I decided to pick Little Miss Trouble up for questioning, since she's the prime suspect. I brought the boys, in case she resisted, but they've been no help at all; spent more time blubbering about getting shot than they did in being actual security guards." She rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're paying this bunch of whiners for, Chief, I really don't…"

"Lana," Harkness interrupted, "please tell me that no one else knows about this."

"No boss." Danvers looked nonplussed. "I locked it down as soon as I found out what happened, and most of the scientists told me that they either didn't see anything, or don't want to believe what they saw. I've got some guys down in the lab keeping an eye on those eggheads, and Doctor Li's holed up in your office muttering about official council sanctions and beastly little girls who don't respect the purity of the lab. I've kept everyone else out of the lab for now."

"Good," Harkness said decisively. "Let's keep it that way. Look, Elle and I have to leave Rivet City for a few days on an unrelated matter, but I'll take care of the report on this one when I get back."

"But Chief," Danvers protested, "Doctor Li saw Elle shoot two unarmed men with a plasma rifle in the lab, the very plasma rifle she's holding right now. We can't just let her get away with it, even if she is your…never mind. The doctor's threatening to file a formal complaint over this one, and I don't think I can talk her out of it this time."

"Lana, listen to me very carefully," Harkness said seriously. "There's a lot more going on here than you realize. Elle did what she had to, what we needed her to do, but it's better for all involved if she stays out of the report entirely. We don't want trouble with the Commonwealth, and neither does Elle, so the official story is that some strangers came into Rivet City and killed the doctor and his bodyguard, who were also strangers to us. In the process, they damaged one of the planes on the flight deck and it blew up, killing the assassins and blowing all the bodies out into the river where we weren't able to retrieve them. I trust you can arrange for that to happen?"

"Yeah, boss," she replied. "I'll put the boys on 'accident' detail; give them something useful to do for a change."

"Good," Harkness said. "I'll have a chat with the scientists when I get back, but in the meantime, you make sure they don't spread any of this around, and very politely suggest to them that the official version is what actually happened."

"Ooookay, boss." Danvers looked like she wanted to say more, but wasn't about to gainsay the man who paid her salary. "But what about Doctor Li? She won't listen to anyone but you."

"I'll go have a quick word with Madison, Lana," Harkness said, "but then Elle and I really have to leave. You're in charge, and try not to kill anyone while I'm gone; the paperwork's a damned hassle." He turned back to me. "Elle, I'll meet you at the bridge in half an hour. Bring lots of guns." He considered for a moment. "And maybe a mini nuke or two."