Hello all! Goodness, I'm so flattered by all of your reviews and follows, and I always read every single one of them, even if I don't reply all the time (most likely b/c I'm writing, haha)! Sorry this chapter took a bit longer than the norm, but I think I got it just right. Memory part was tough. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Oh, btw, smut AHOY! (At the end, in case that's not your thing. No judgments here)
Hancock and Betty arrived at Diamond City and yet again, faced the challenge of getting the ghoul inside. Betty peeked into the ticket counter area where the guards hung out, but didn't find the one guard who she convinced to let them pass with Mama Murphy's words.
"Got an idea," Hancock whispered as he looked over a large group of traders who've already passed the guard's inspections.
"Oh god," Betty replied. "What are you cooking up in that head of yours, John?"
The guards opened the gate for the traders and Hancock grabbed Betty's wrist as they ran past security with booming laughter.
Several guards gave chase and one shouted,"Hey! Get back here, you fucking freak!"
"No ghouls in Diamond City!" Hancock mocked in a shrill voice, Betty overcome with laughter.
They rushed behind the marketplace, knocking aside several residents with security just steps behind. The pair ducked into a dark alleyway close to Nick's office and wedged themselves into the tight spot. Betty leaned her head against Hancock's chest to catch her breath and his hand came to a rest at the nape of her neck.
"They musta gone around that corner, then!" a security guard shouted, and the sound of several pairs of combat boots came jogging towards the pair.
Hancock grabbed her hand before they made one more mad dash towards Valentine's office. The ghoul almost tore the door off its hinges, and they made it inside as several security guards passed. Valentine looked up from his desk and the reporter, Piper, stood beside him, notepad in hand. Betty leaned against the door, chest heaving with each breath, and Hancock chuckled to himself at security's reaction over their little stunt.
"Are you two all right?" Nick asked as he stubbed out his cigarette. He reached into his desk and pulled out a pistol before he asked, "Were you followed here?"
"Nah, just runnin' from security," said Hancock with a shrug. "Gate was wide open for a caravan. Idiots."
Nick rolled his eyes and asked Betty, "Where's your son? What happened?"
Betty slumped down into a chair, winded from their run through the marketplace. She took a deep breath before she answered, "You were right, Nick. Kellogg took my son, but that wasn't all. He was working for the Institute. He...gave them Shaun."
"The Institute? Hoo boy..." Piper said.
Detective Valentine grasped Betty's hand for a moment with a kind smile and said, "I'm sorry, friend. Truly. That makes things...considerably more complicated."
"He ain't kiddin'," said Piper. "Heck, Nick's a synth and even he doesn't know how to get in."
Nick shook his head and said, "No synth does. Security protocols strip those memories out."
"I need to find a way," Betty whispered. "I'll do anything."
Piper frowned and said, "I've been investigating those creeps for over a year now...but no dice. To this day, there's one thing nobody really knows..."
"-Where the institute actually is. Or how to get in," said Nick.
"But there's one person who must know, right? The guy who handed them her son?" Piper asked.
"Let me guess," Nick asked Betty. "Kellogg wasn't the talk and surrender type, was he?"
Hancock cleared his throat and said, "He was more of a...six bullets to the dome, sorta guy. Dead as a fuckin' doornail now...that piece of shit."
"So, a murdering kidnapper gets his brains blown out by an avenging parent." Piper sighed and added, "It'd be a great ending to a story if we didn't have the Commonwealth's biggest mystery to solve."
"And I'd do it again," Betty said. Hancock's hand found its way to the back of her neck and he gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"...'Gets his brains blown out'. Huh...His brains. You know, we may not need the man at all."
Hancock clapped his hands together and said, "Nicky, tell me you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin'!"
"The Memory Den," Nick confirmed with a nod.
Hancock nudged Betty's pack and said, "That metal shit you ripped outta the bastard's head? Should have some meat left on it."
"Gross, dude!" Piper groaned.
"Grisly, but what choice do we have?" Nick said. "We got no leads. Nothing. That old merc's brain just might have all the secrets we need to know."
"And if anyone can get a dead brain to sing...it'll be Dr. Amari," Hancock assured Betty.
"I hope this works.." she said, her voice low.
"'Course it will. Amari is a fuckin' genius."
Nick pushed his chair back with a scrape and pulled his coat and hat on. "I'll head over to the Memory Den right away. You two coming with or meeting me there?"
"We can head over with ya, Nicky," said Hancock.
"I do owe Piper an interview," said Betty. She looked at the reporter and asked, "Would it take long?"
"Not at all," said Piper with a smile. "Would you mind giving me an interview as well, Mayor Hancock?"
Piper had always wanted to interview the fearsome Mayor Hancock in person. But two incredible interviews in one day? Publick Occurrences wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands and McDonough would flip if he found out that not only had a ghoul made it into the city, but it was the ghoul he hated most.
"It'd be an honor, kid," Hancock replied.
Nick pulled out a gas mask from a filing cabinet near the door and Hancock snatched it from his hands before the synth could smirk.
The group followed Piper through the marketplace, with Hancock in the middle, blocked from security's prying eyes. Piper opened the door to Publick Occurrences and Betty watched her partner tear the mask from his face with a scowl before he threw it in the trash. A young girl about Shaun's age stacked newspapers in a corner, wearing a parka that was much too large and a pre-war camera that hung around her neck.
"That's my little sister, Nat," Piper said to Betty and Hancock, "who's supposed to be in school but has detention again..."
Piper's younger sister, distracted from her chores by the newcomers, marched right up to Hancock, tugged on his coat, and took his picture with a bright flash. Piper laughed into Betty's shoulder and apologized to the ghoul on Nat's behalf.
"Wait, wait, that one ain't gonna be any good. This is my good side," said Hancock before he turned and flashed a cunning smile. The little girl giggled and took his picture again.
"What's up with the camera, little lady?" Betty asked.
"I like taking pictures of weird things, and that guy's definitely the weirdest." Piper's younger sister replied in earnest, sending Betty and Piper into hysterics. "What's your name? And what's wrong with your skin?"
Nick rest his hand on Nat's shoulder and murmured, "What did I tell you about those sort of questions, Nat?"
"Nah, it don't bother me, brother. Kid's just curious is all," Hancock insisted as he took a seat on the couch and propped his boots up on the coffee table. He held out his hand to Nat with a smile and said, "The name's John, and I'm a ghoul."
"The mayor says ghouls are monsters and can't come inside the city," said Nat, giving Hancock's hand a rough shake for a ten year old girl. "You sure you're tellin' the truth?"
"McDonough's a bully and a major asshole. Everyone's the same. Ghoul, human, synth, it don't matter," Hancock answered. "All should be treated fairly."
"Piper says that a lot," said Nat with a smile. "That everyone should be treated the same, not the cussin' part, and you're way nicer than Mayor McDonough."
Valentine chuckled and said to Nat, "Make sure you say that to him next time he comes over to yell at your sister."
The reporter, with notepad and pencil in hand, pulled Nat out of the way before inviting Betty to take a seat beside Hancock. Nick stood by the door, smoking a cigarette, and Nat brought an ashtray over to him. The synth smiled down at her and wrapped a metal arm around her shoulder.
"So here's the deal. I want an interview. Your life story in print. I think it's time Diamond City had a little outside perspective on the Commonwealth."
Betty took a seat on the couch beside Hancock and asked, "What kind of interview is this going to be?"
"I ask who you are, get your opinion on life out there, and maybe load up a few tough questions and keep it interesting. What do you say?"
Betty looked over at her partner, who was showing off with a butterfly knife Nat had brought over to him, flipping it through his fingers with ease as the young girl watched with wide eyes.
"I'm in," she replied.
"Let's get down to business, then. So, I know you're from a vault. How would you describe your time on the inside?" Piper asked, her pencil awaiting Betty's answer.
"My family and I were frozen. You know, cryo stasis, so I didn't spend much time in there," Betty explained.
Piper held up her hands and said, "Wait, wait a second. They boxed you up in a fridge? The whole time? Are you saying you were alive before the war?"
"My family and I made it to vault just as the bombs hit the city. I've never seen anything so powerful...and I hope I never do again," she replied.
"All right, so you've seen the Commonwealth, Diamond City-"
"-Goodneighbor!" Hancock interrupted.
Piper laughed and added, "Yes, and Goodneighbor. How does it all compare to your old life?"
"Honestly? Seeing everyone surviving out here? People like Mayor Hancock and the Minutemen rebuilding the world? It gives me hope."
"That's...surprisingly inspired, Blue. We're definitely quoting that. Now, the big question: You came all this way looking for your son, Shaun. Where's his father, and why isn't he looking, too?"
Hancock and Nick stiffened at Piper's question, but they knew the reporter had no idea about Nate. Hancock reached out to rest his hand on Betty's knee when the sole survivor answered, "The Institute murdered my late husband when they kidnapped my son. I've already killed their agent who did it, and now I'm on my way to find them..and Shaun."
Piper sighed and whispered, "I'm sorry. That's...that's heartbreaking. Not even a child is safe from them. And people wonder why I can't just look the other way..."
"I'm going to find him," Betty said, her voice firm.
The reporter nodded and said, "For the last part of our interview, I'd like to do something different. I want you to make a statement to Diamond City directly. The threat of kidnapping is all but ignored in the Commonwealth. Everyone wants to pretend it doesn't happen. What would you say to someone out there who's lost a loved one, but might be too scared, or too numb to the world, to look for them?"
"No matter how much you want to give up, don't. You have to have hope. That you'll see them again or at least, that you'll know the truth. And if that doesn't work...get pissed off. Make those people pay for what they've done and when you can't do it on your own," Betty looked at Hancock and gave his hand a squeeze before she added, "Find someone that has your back...who can hold you up when you don't have the strength to do it yourself."
"A strong note to end on, Blue. Thanks."
"Blue?" Betty asked with a smile.
"I know you're not wearing the suit, but I knew you were a vault dweller when we first met. Pip-boy is a dead giveaway. That and those eyes, of course," Piper explained. The reporter turned to Hancock and asked, "Are you ready for your interview, Mayor?"
"As long as ya mention that ya interviewed me right here in the city," Hancock answered. "That oughta piss him off some."
"Of course," said Piper with a chuckle. "Let's start with some basics. How long have you been running Goodneighbor?"
"Oh, 'bout ten years now. Me and my old crew, we snuffed the last mayor, an old mob boss named Vic."
Piper grimaced and asked, "Why's that?"
"He was a cruel and heartless prick. People were scared to leave their homes and drifters were murdered for his amusement or convenience. I wasn't gonna take that shit anymore, so I took it upon myself to overthrow his ass," Hancock explained. "He begged for mercy, that little bitch, right before I hung him from the balcony of the Old State House."
"Was it frightening, to take a risk like going after a mob boss?"
"A walk in the park," said Hancock with a smile, but Betty could see through his farce, though she'd never betray him. "There ain't a damn thing in the Commonwealth that scares me now."
Piper swallowed hard and asked, "And how are you able to control the town? It's famous for having no rules."
"Only got one rule and it's worked well for us so far. Play fuckin' nice. That's all I ask. It don't matter if you're human, synth, ghoul, super mutant, whatever the fuck you are, so long as it don't bother no one else, do whatever the hell your heart desires. Anyone breaks that rule they're fuckin' out, and if they don't leave fast enough, I'll snuff 'em myself and toss what's left out the door."
"What does a place like Goodneighbor offer the Commonwealth?"
"A home for those with nowhere to go if they can stomach it. Ain't gonna lie, it's a rough life, but it'll make ya a tough bastard. Regular trade, chems, guns, a great bar owned by yours truly, and I'm thinkin' 'bout adding a brothel..should bring in some extra caps. And of course, we got the Memory Den."
"Brothel?" Betty asked under her breath.
Hancock chuckled and replied, "Ain't set in stone, yet. Gotta talk to the girl 'bout it, see how she feels."
"Speaking of girls," said Piper, "There are some rumors that you're quite the lady's man, with women flocking to you, a ghoul, from all over the Commonwealth. Any truth to that?"
"Used to be I, uh, entertained lots of dames, but no more."
"Oh? Someone finally catch your eye?"
He glanced at Betty, whose cheeks were flushed, and he answered, "There's this one gal who's been..tuggin' on the heartstrings lately. Beauty, brains, and guts. What more could a man or ghoul ask for? Nothin', that's what."
Piper and Nick stared at Betty, who's face was a bright shade of crimson as she sunk deeper into the couch as she tried her damndest not to grin like a fool. Hancock wrapped his arm around her shoulder with a hearty laugh and kissed her cheek. He couldn't wait to see more of the flattering shade, especially when he finally be able to show her some of the more..risque ideas he had in store for her.
"Anything you'd like to add, Mayor?" Piper asked, pulling him from the thought of Betty on her knees. Damn, he'd have to save that image for later.
"Yeah, I got somethin'. Goodneighbor supports the new and improved Minutemen effort. They're doin' right by the Commonwealth, and that's somethin' I can really get behind, ya feel me? Come pay my town a visit and not only will ya be welcomed in with open arms, you'll have the time of your life and you'll see we ain't as bad as assholes like McDonough paint us to be."
"I might just do that myself," said Piper as she closed her notebook. "Never been."
Betty stood up and suggested, "Well, why not come along?"
Nick handed Nat his ashtray back and said, "You could come back with me when I leave in a few days."
"Few days, huh? Bet Irma wouldn't mind it," Hancock said, elbowing Nick in the ribs. He glanced at Piper and added, "If he ain't ready to leave, which he won't be, my bodyguard can bring ya back...might try to screw ya, though. You're definitely her type."
After the group bid their goodbyes to Piper's younger sister, they headed for Goodneighbor, to see what could be found within a dead mercenary's mind.
It was MacCready who caught the group at the gates of Goodneighbor as he headed out of town. He caught sight of Piper in her trench coat and came to a halt, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Still in town, I see.." Hancock said to MacCready. He looked behind the merc and asked, "Where's Fahrenheit at?"
"Who's that?" Piper asked Betty in a low voice.
"His beautiful and statuesque lesbian bodyguard," Betty answered.
Piper cocked her head and whispered, "Somehow, I'm not surprised that's who he'd choose."
The young merc rubbed the back of his head and said, "She's at the bar with Ham beating some idiot's head in. Tried to steal from the register when Charlie was in the back or something."
"I'm just gonna assume you haven't done me that favor I sent word about?" Hancock asked MacCready.
"...Well..." He glanced at Piper and back at Hancock with hopeful eyes.
"All right, you caught me on a good day. Ya have until tomorrow by dusk but if you're late, we're gonna find out how far I can shove the barrel of that sniper rifle up your ass, we clear?"
"Crystal," MacCready answered, holding back a smirk.
Hancock gave Piper a gentle push towards RJ and said, "Piper, this is RJ MacCready, the best mercenary and sniper I've ever met-"
RJ lifted his chin with a cheeky smile and Betty snorted into Hancock's coat, failing miserably to fake a cough, though he pat her on the back regardless.
Nick rolled his eyes at the sight of all his friends. There were times he wondered why he kept them around, especially John, as obnoxious as he could be, but for a bunch of punks...they were all right. Sometimes, they even managed to pulled a smile or two out of the old synth. Betty seemed to be an excellent addition so far. The synth hoped she'd stick around after her ordeal was over, curious to see what would bloom between her and his closest friend. Meeting Betty probably bought John a few extra decades of breathing.
"-And the third best lookin' man in Goodneighbor," the ghoul concluded.
The group erupted with laughter save for MacCready, who asked, "Third? Who the heck is second?"
"Ham, obviously," said Betty, and Hancock nodded in agreement. She pointed to her ghoul and held up one finger with a smug nod.
MacCready turned to Piper and said, "Ham's another ghoul, not an actual ham, by the way."
"Gee, thaaaanks! How'd I ever get by in life without you?" asked Piper.
RJ put his hands on her shoulders and said, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that..but don't worry. I'm here now."
They shook hands, smiling at one another.
"Piper Wright, reporter for Publick Occurrences. That's a newspaper," she laughed. "You read it and learn about things, not that you would know."
"People still read?" the merc teased.
"Fuckin' hope so," said Hancock. "Introduce her 'round town, get her whatever interviews she wants. Anyone says no, slap 'em around a little."
"Will do," said MacCready. He glanced at Piper and explained, "When we meet Kleo, she's probably gonna ask you if you think she's a woman. Make sure to say yes or this-" he lifted his shirt and showed off a jagged laser burn across his chiseled stomach, "happens."
"Let's meet her first. Anyone that shoots someone like you is a friend in my book."
RJ led the reporter towards Kill or Be Killed?, his hand at her back.
Hancock nodded towards MacCready and Piper as soon as they were out of earshot and he said, "If that bit don't get him laid, I'm throwing his ass out of Goodneighbor."
He and Betty followed the detective to the Memory Den, and when Nick opened the doors, Betty let out a short gasp. She didn't expect to see such luxury inside, well, as luxurious as one could be in the wasteland. Rich, crimson velvet lined the cushions of all the chairs and couches in the room and in its center, a grand chaise lounge and on it was draped the most elegant woman Betty had ever seen in the new Commonwealth. Her feathered, red dress framed her face perfectly, and she now understood how two friends could be driven apart over a woman so beautiful.
"Well, well. Mister Valentine. I...thought you had forgotten about little 'ole me," said Irma. She sat up from the lounge and held out her hand to Nick. The synth hesitated at first, but gave Irma a warm smile and took her hand to kiss it.
"May have walked out of the Den, Irma, but I'd never walk out on you. Is Dr. Amari in? Need a favor for my client here."
"And here I thought you came to see me and no one else," said Irma. She sighed and studied the rings on her hands, baubles found in pre-war department stores that would've cost a fortune in Betty's time, but are now worthless and undesired by most.
"I could stay for a chat after," said Nick. "It'd be nice to catch up."
"That would be just fine." She leaned back into the chaise lounge and blew the synth a kiss. "Amari's downstairs, you big flirt."
Betty watched as the detective tipped his hat towards his old flame and beckoned the others to follow. Hancock and Irma exchanged a respectful nod between them as he walked past, her eyes fixed on Betty. After what happened with Nicky, the ghoul made sure that all interactions with Irma were nothing but business. Hello, Here's your cut of the profits, Thanks, was the extent of their conversations for the past few years, and he didn't mind keeping it that way.
"It seems we have a guest in our midst," Irma said with a kind smile. "So much lovelier than the usual folk who drop in."
"Consider her a local. This is Betty Parker, my new partner and General of the Minutemen. Been travelin' with her close to a month now," Hancock explained, throwing an arm around her shoulder.
"Ah, that would explain your absence, then." She turned to Betty and said, "It is an honor, General. We've all heard the stories on the radio. Thank you for all you've done so far to help."
"Pleasure is mine," Betty said with a smile. "This is home for me, too. I don't mind helping with the upkeep."
Hancock squeezed her shoulder and led Betty down the stairs to the basement with a wave to the Den's proprietor. Two strange pods sat in the middle of the room, memory loungers, her partner called them. An older woman wearing a lab coat, her dark hair held up in a messy topknot, typed furiously into a terminal.
"Dr. Amari?" said Nick, hoping he wouldn't startle her.
The doctor turned and said, "Yes?" She smiled at Hancock and Betty before she asked, "I take it this isn't a social call of some sort?"
"This one's all yours, Nicky," said Hancock as he flopped onto a couch.
Valentine nodded and explained, "Amari, we need a memory dig but it's not gonna be easy. The perp, Kellogg, is already cold on the floor after being confronted by these two-" he jabbed a metal thumb towards Betty and Hancock.
"-That was all Birdie," said the ghoul. "I had nothin' to do with it."
Betty crossed her arms and said to her partner, "You literally gave me the gun I killed him with."
"Thought you could use a hand."
She smiled and said, "I don't think I ever thanked you for that."
"Don't have to."
Amari stared at the three friends with wide eyes and asked, "Are you all mad?" She pointed her finger at Hancock, who was about to speak up and snapped, "Do not get fresh with me, Mayor. Putting aside that you're all asking me to defile a corpse, you do realize that the memory simulators require intact, LIVING brains to function?"
"Please," Betty asked her, taking her hand. "John and Nick both said you're the only one who could make this work."
Nick put a hand on Betty's shoulder and explained, "You see, this dead brain had inside knowledge of the Institute, Amari. The biggest scientific secret of the Commonwealth. You need this...and so does Betty here. They kidnapped her only son."
The doctor sighed as she rubbed her temples and said, "Fine. I'll take a look, but no guarantees. Do you...have it with you?"
Betty searched through the pockets on her knapsack until she found her "souvenir" as Hancock had dubbed it. She held out the cybernetic to Amari, who looked over it with some mild surprise.
"What's this? This isn't a brain! This is...wait...that's the hippocampus! And this thing attached to it..a neural interface?"
Even Nick hovered over Amari's shoulder to examine the piece himself. "Those circuits look awfully familiar..."
"I'm not surprised. From what I've seen, all Institute technology has a similar architecture," said Dr. Amari. She turned to Betty and explained, "Mister Valentine is an older generation synth, as you may know. But Institute technology being what it is...the brain implant could-"
"-Fit me," said Nick.
Amari nodded and continued, "But that's...an incredible risk to take. We're talking about wiring something to his brain."
"No way, there...there has to be somethin' else," said Betty. Even Hancock got up from the couch to protest, but Nick help up a hand to silence them both.
"Don't worry about me. I'm well past the warranty date, anyway."
Betty hugged Nick and breathed, "Thank you so much for doing this."
The synth pat her back gently and said, "You can thank me when we've found your son. Amari, let's do this."
Amari rushed to the simulator controls, typing away, until the memory lounger hummed to life. "Whenever you're ready, Mister Valentine, please take a seat."
The synth tossed Hancock his hat and coat before he sat in the chair Amari motioned to, leaning back into the rich leather of the seat. At least the Institute had been kind enough to give him neural sensors and he passed his non-metal hand over the fabric several times before he closed his eyes.
"Don't be doin' that shit already," said Hancock to Nick. "Amari hasn't even started yet."
"Do what?"
"You always feel up on soft things before ya head into the fire. Nothin's gonna happen, how many times I gotta say say that shit?" said Hancock.
"...You're right. Don't make me regret saying that." Valentine looked around the room before he joked, "If I start cackling like an old, grizzled mercenary, pull me out, okay?"
Hancock chuckled and spun Nick's hat on his fingertip, but Betty felt sick to her stomach. The ghoul nudged her with his boot and when she turned, he blew her a kiss with a short laugh. She rolled her eyes but appreciated his token of affection all the same.
Amari rested one hand on Nick's shoulder as she fiddled with the plates on the back of his head. "Let's see here," she murmured, removing one of the plates and setting it on a small table. "I need you to keep talking to me, Mister Valentine. Any slight change in your cognitive functions could be dire."
A bright spark appeared for a moment and Betty gasped, bringing Hancock to his feet with a grim face.
The doctor paused and asked Nick, "Are you...feeling any different?"
"There's a lot of...flashes...static...I can't make any sense of it, Doc," Nick answered.
She frowned and said, "That's what I was afraid of..The mnemonic impressions are encoded."
"Oh no, not again!" mocked the ghoul before he popped a few mentats into his open mouth.
"You don't even know what that means," said Betty, snatching the tin from his hands. "And I'd prefer if you didn't get high while your best friend is having brain surgery less than five feet away from you."
He laughed and replied, "Yeah, like you know what the fuck she's talkin' about. You were a lawyer and now a general, not some damn egghead..no offense, Amari."
"Enough!" Nick barked.
Hancock threw Nick's hat at Betty's backside and whispered, "Tryin' to get me in trouble and shit."
"Go to hell!" she whispered hotly as she threw Nick's hat back at him, holding back a smile.
"Been there once or twice. It's fuckin' boring and all the dames are old and ugly."
"Serves you right."
Betty was grateful for Hancock's distractions. If not for him, she'd be heaving her guts into the trashcan right about then. It was hard to look at Nick with pieces of him missing; a perfect stranger willing to risk his life and mental well-being to help her. He's likely to have done crazier things than this to help others. She didn't know how she came to be so lucky, to find people like Hancock and Nick in a world filled with hate and bloodshed on an everyday scale.
"It appears the Institute has one last failsafe. There's a lock on the memories of the implant," Doctor Amari explained.
Betty wrung her hands and asked, "Is Nick going to be okay?"
"Yes, the connections appear to be stable. Hopefully, it'll be as simple as unplugging the implant once we're done. But that doesn't get around the current problem. The memory encryption is too strong for a single mind, but...what if we used two?"
"Where do I sit?" Betty asked. "And what's going to happen?"
Amari pointed to the lounger beside Nick and Betty took a seat, her hands shaking. Hancock wandered over from the couch and leaned against the open pod door.
"Done this a million times. Don't sweat it," he whispered with a tug on her ponytail.
"I'm going to run your cognitive functions in parallel with Mister Valentine's. He'll act as a host while your consciousness drives through whatever memories we can find," explained the doctor.
Betty nodded and said, "I'm ready when you are."
"Very well. Let's get started and...keep your fingers crossed."
Nick glanced over at Betty, his yellow eyes blinking several times before he said, "See you on the other side."
Betty panicked as the pod door began to close, but Hancock appeared next to the screen from behind the glass as it flickered on and rested his palm on the window.
"You trust me, right?" Hancock asked, bending down so she could hear him
"Don't have a choice in the matter, so yes," Betty said, trying to laugh.
The ghoul chuckled and winked before the door closed. "That's my girl."
Every day, Betty discovered something new or surprising about the world around her. Yesterday it was that raiders used mole rats as suicide bombers on occasion. Today, it was rooting around in the mind of a dead, psychopathic mercenary. What was next? John becomes a priest and swears off sex, chems, and booze? God...she hoped not. Thankfully, aliens invading were more likely.
"Initiating brain-wave migration between the transplant and the host," Doctor Amari announced, her voice coming from a speaker inside the lounger.
Betty choked back a lump of panic and reached for her partner through the glass. And there he was, palm pressed against the window. She knew he'd never let her down, and she breathed in as deep as she could.
Hancock held up a finger and reached for something just out of her sight. A pen, she discovered, when the ghoul came back into view. He scribbled something directly onto his palm, chuckling to himself a few times, before he pressed his hand against the glass. A crude drawing of two stick figures: one with enormous breasts bending over and the other, with a huge erection no less, standing behind her. The word, "Later?" finished off his lewd sketch.
His handwriting was beautiful, and not at all what Betty expected from this John Hancock. The stick figures with the giant dick and tits, though? That she did expect. Still, she couldn't hold back her laughter and it brought a smile to Hancock's face.
"Mnemonic activity coming from the transplant! It's degenerated but it's there!" Amari shouted.
"Plain English for us common folk, doc," said Hancock, his voice coming through the speaker as well.
"It means it's working, mayor."
"Oh. Good, good!"
"Betty I'm going to load you into the strongest memories we can find-"
"-I wanna give her a load.." Hancock said under his breath.
"..She can hear you if you're standing right there, sir."
"No shit?" asked Hancock and his voice became louder as he added, "Betty! I said I wanted to give you a load! You didn't answer about later, so I'm thinkin' yes? Can't wait!"
Oh lord, Betty thought with a laugh, What the hell am I getting into with him.
"She's not hard of hearing-damn it, give that back!" Betty heard a scuffle for a moment, a hint of the ghoul's laughter, and Amari saying, "Please, mayor! Just sit down! Betty, I'm going to put you into the strongest memories I can find. They might not be...stable...just hold on!"
A bright flash of white burst from the screen in front of her, and Betty winced.
The absence of any pain gave Betty the courage to open one eye, at least. The brightness had dimmed to gray blue and she let out a sharp breath as it darkened to black.
Long, hap-hazard strands jutted out all around her and she heard Doctor Amari echo all around her, "Can you hear me?"
Betty lifted her hand, at least she thought she did, and hoped the action matched in the real world as well.
"Ah, good. The simulation appears to be working, although the memories are quite fragmentary. I'll try to step you through the intact memories, and hope we find one that gives us some clue to the Institute's location."
Betty looked around, wondering where she could take a step or not. She tried to move, but couldn't go more than a foot in any direction.
"..There," said Amari. "This is the earliest intact memory I can find."
A spiky path appeared and Betty moved ahead, silent. Soft lights blinked beneath the path, leading the way to part of building, hovering in weightless space. She stopped midway to stare at the memory, a bit stunned that she was having such an experience.
"Damn," she heard Hancock say. "That's some sci-fi shit right there."
Betty took comfort knowing they could see what she did. No need to go through this alone. She wasn't sure if Nick could see anything all.
"Just remember that you are experiencing these memories as Kellogg," Amari explained. "This may prove disorienting at first."
Amari's voice faded away and the path led Betty up to the building, a bedroom in someone's home. A young boy sat on the antique bed, its sheets moth-eaten and worn, and a middle-aged woman sat beside him, reading a book. The radio played a bit of news about the New California Republic, whatever the hell that was, and her heart raced. Would she have to witness Kellogg break through that door and shoot that woman? Beat her to death?
A voice shouted out from within the memory, Turn down that god damn radio! I'm trying to sleep!
The woman shook her head, ignoring the mystery man's shouting. Hmph. What a joke.
What's it mean, mom? the boy asked.
Nothing Connie, People like to talk and hope someone else is going to keep them safe, said the mother.
The young boy lowered his head and looked through the few torn comics he had. Teacher at school said the NCR would bring back the good old days..like before the big war.
Don't you listen to that twaddle. I'm going to stop sending you if that's what they're teaching you.
I'm goin' out...where the fuck are my boots?! shouted the man behind the door.
Listen to me Connie, said the woman as she handed the boy a gun. You take this. You're old enough. You're the man of the family now. It's your job to protect us. You're father's useless. But you won't turn out like him. You're a good boy. And all that on the radio, all useless talk. The only thing that will protect you in this world is that gun in your hands. You need to learn to use if you're going to survive.
The boy pointed the pistol to where Betty stood and when she stared down the barrel, her blood ran cold. Kellogg's face, though decades younger, was still haunting.
I will, mom. I promise. I won't let you down.
You've always been my good boy.
"This doesn't seem to be what we're looking for," Amari's voice echoed. The memory began to fade to gray and another spiky path appeared. "There appears to be another intact memory close to you in temporal sequence...there."
The next memory was similar as it contained part of a room, where Kellogg, who looked about twenty, stood with a young woman. They discussed a group Kellogg had joined, that the woman believed they were more trouble then they were worth. A crib stood beside the table and Betty moved to look down at the bright-eyed baby girl with a smile. Kellogg insisted that in a few years, he'd have his own crew and there'd be nothing more to worry over. He just needed some connections.
Kellogg had a family of his own. How could he brutalize her own so easily? He was kind toward the woman, smiling at her, reassuring her that she's a great mother to their child. Where did it all go wrong?
Kellogg held out his gun and said, See this? This is what's going to keep you and Mary safe. I promise.
The baby cried and Kellogg moved to check on her, holding out a hand to his spouse. That's okay, I got her.
"Let's keep looking. I'll connect you to the next intact memory," said Amari's voice.
Another path appeared and a long, underground hall manifested around Betty. Kellogg stood fully armored in front of her.
How did you think this was going to end, Kellogg? A voice within the memory echoed. You thought you could just fuck with us, and we wouldn't fuck with you? Just so you know...they died like dogs. And you weren't there to help them.
At the end of the hallway, Kellogg kicked open a metal door and behind to unless a stream of bullets from his assault rifle with a scream. Someone murdered his family, the daughter included..no wonder he was such a monster. Betty moved around and studied Kellogg's face. His hatred, anger, despair, all painted onto his face. She wanted to feel pity but the feeling was short lived. He certainly didn't deserve what happened to his loved ones, but anything that came afterward was fair game.
"I've found another memory to try. I'll connect you."
A jagged path led Betty to a bar, where two wastelanders asked Kellogg if they could sit at his table. He motioned for them to sit and they hired him to murder a family that lived down the creek. He took the contract with such ease that all guilt or pity Betty felt for him so far washed away in an instant. He had taken things from her as well, but she didn't turn into some vicious hitman as Kellogg had. She was glad to kill him, more and more as each day passed.
"Well, we seem to be getting closer. Try this one."
The next memory brought Betty to a screeching halt. A stern woman sat at a table, Kellogg standing before her. Three synths stood guard around the pair, all pointing their weapons at Kellogg. Maybe this was it.
Mr. Kellogg. I'm glad you've decided to meet with me, she said.
So.You're from the Institute...I wanted to see for myself if you really existed, he said.
The woman held out her hands and replied, We do, as you can see.
What do you want?
It's come to my attention that you've been rather...disruptive of our operations lately. This must stop.
The mercenary shrugged his shoulders and said, I do what people pay me to do. If that's a problem for you, I can only see one way out.
And what's that Mr. Kellogg?
If I'm workin' for you, there's no more problem. From what I hear, you can afford me.
His voice made Betty sick. She couldn't wait to show the Institute the same amount of mercy she showed Kellogg.
I don't think you're fully understanding the situation you're in.
I think I do.
Very well, said the woman. B7-48, initiate..
The synths moved to attack Kellogg but the mercenary was quick and brutal, slaughtering them all in less than a minute.
Impressive, said the Institute woman. We may have something to talk about after all.
"We're running out of brain here," said Amari. "Ah, there's one that looks mostly intact. Connecting now," said Doctor Amari.
Betty's blood ran cold at the sight of the next memory. Kellogg and who she realized now were two Institute scientists, stood in the cryo room of Vault 111.
"Oh, no," Hancock said in a low voice.
Manual Override initiated. Cryogenic stasis suspended, announced a vault computer.
An Institute scientist worked on a terminal at the front of the hall, tapping loudly on the keys. Vault computers are still working. That's good...checking through the logs. Hopefully it's all-
-Just..find it, Kellogg said.
Pod C6. Down the hall, near the end, said the scientist.
Kellogg and the second scientist walked deeper down the hall, and the mercenary pulled his .44 magnum from his holster. Betty didn't move at first until they came to a stop at Nate's cryo pod, afraid to face it all again. But she wanted to see it again, to remind herself of how desperate and angry she felt and realized why Hancock relived his own horrors. What happened in the vault was the worst pain she'd ever felt and now, everything else paled in comparison. Betty rushed over until she was right beside the mercenary, his face hard. It gave her a sick satisfaction to know he was dead by her hand now, and could never do harm again.
This is the one, here, said the scientist with a hand on Nate's pod.
Kellogg nodded and said, Open it.
Nate coughed hard, disoriented as the pod door opened. He held baby Shaun tight in his arms as his eyes tried to focus on the figures standing before him, his wary eyes falling on the mercenary. Shaun's cry pierced the gentle hum of machinery in the room and Betty refused to look away, no matter how much she wanted to.
Is it over? Are we okay? Nate asked.
Almost, said Kellogg. Everything's going to be fine.
That fucking liar..
The scientist reached for Shaun and tried to pull him from Nate's arms. Come on, baby..come here.
No, wait, Nate protested. No, I've got him!
Kellogg drew his pistol. Let the boy go. I'm only gonna tell you once!
Nate struggled with the scientist, weak from being frozen and shouted, I'M NOT GIVING YOU SHAUN!
The gunshot was deafening and Betty tried to scream but not a sound came from her throat. Nate's head hung over, the wound fresh and bloody at his temple. Betty wanted nothing more at that moment than to kill Kellogg all over again.
God damn it! Get the kid out of here and let's go!
The mercenary looked into Betty's pod and she stared at herself weakly banging her fist against the glass of the cryo pod.
At least we still have the backup..
Cryogenic sequence reinitialized.
"I'm...I'm sorry you had to go through that again," she heard Hancock say.
"..As am I," said Amari. "The next intact memory is just past there. Whenever you're ready."
Betty believed the worst had passed and was ready for the next memory. She wanted to get the hell out of the lounger as soon as possible. She didn't know how much more she could take. In the distance, she could see Kellogg polishing his .44 inside his home. And there, playing on the floor beside the mercenary, was Shaun. Betty went to the boy as quickly as she could and peered into his face, a perfect combination of hers and Nate's features. Though she lost ten years with Shaun, she could make up for it some how. There was still a chance for happiness with her son.
"You made a handsome boy there, Birdie," Hancock's voice echoed. "Can't wait to meet him."
The mercenary pointed his gun at the door. A man wearing a dark suit of leather armor and sunglasses walked in, tall and imposing. Another Institute agent, for sure..but he was no scientist. He seemed too much like Kellogg to have any substance besides murder in his heart.
Kellogg, said the agent.
It's okay, Kellogg said to Shaun and her blood boiled. He stole her son away and helped raise him for those assholes while she lay frozen in the vault. He looked back at the man and said, One of these days you're going to get your head blown off, just barging in here like that.
Minimizing my exposure to civilians is a priority.
Kellogg looked away with a scoff and said,Forget I said anything. So what's the big crisis this time?
New orders for you. One of our scientists has left the Institute, said the agent.
Left as in..?
He's gone rogue. Name's Doctor Brian Virgil. We know he's hiding somewhere in the Glowing Sea. Here's his file. The Institute agent handed the information to Kellogg and the merc leafed through its contents.
Wow. Some heads are going to roll for this. Capture and return or just...elimination?
Elimination, said the agent. He was working on a highly classified program.
No kidding. One of the top Bioscience boys? Kellogg glanced at Shaun and said in a low voice, So...I guess you're taking the kid back with you.
The Institute agent nodded once and said, Affirmative. Your only mission is to locate and eliminate Virgil.
Shaun sat up straight as an arrow and asked, You're taking me home to my father?
Yes, said the agent in a flat voice. Stand next to me and hold still.
Okay, said Shaun, and Betty watched her son follow his command without protest.
X6-88, ready to Relay with Shaun, the agent announced.
Bye Mr. Kellogg! I hope I'll see you again sometime! Shaun said in a bright voice.
The Institute agent and Shaun erupted in a blinding flash of blue and white and when her vision returned, the room stood empty except for Kellogg.
The mercenary looked away from the now empty space where Shaun stood and whispered, Bye kid.
Amari sighed and said, "Teleportation. Now it all makes sense. Nobody's found the entrance to the Institute-"
"-Because there is no entrance. Clever fuckers," Hancock said.
"There's one last memory but it's not complete," said Amari.
"Punch it," said the ghoul. "Might learn somethin' else about those bastards."
"Connecting to the final memory. Betty this is only a partial one; it may be jarring. Get ready."
A light flashed and Kellogg lay on the floor, and Betty saw herself straddling him, fighting against the mercenary. There were no synths or Hancock battling them as Betty struggled against Kellogg, only her and the mercenary, who had her in a death grip.
Why didn't you take my offer, he rasped. Why do you have to be so damn unshakable?
You ruined my life, Betty heard herself say. I won't let you ruin anyone else's!
Hancock's magnum slid into view beside Kellogg's head and she heard his voice shout, It has his bullets!
Betty watched as she slammed her elbow into Kellogg's face several times. Her hair matted to her face, mixed with hers and Kellogg's blood and she gasped for breath as his hands dropped. She watched herself reach for the pistol and there was a hint of a smile on her face when she pressed it to his head.
The memory was ripped away with a loud click and another flash of blinding light before Betty found herself inside the memory simulator, the machines outside of the pod beeping wildly.
"Get her out already!" Hancock yelled.
The pod whooshed open and Betty clambered out, nearly throwing herself at the ghoul when she laid eyes on him.
Betty whispered, "I know why you relive that day now, I know. Please, don't do it anymore...you deserve better. We deserve better."
Hancock's hold on her tightened and he answered, "I won't. Done with it."
Betty swayed on her feet for a moment, dizzy, and her partner held her steady. He brushed away the hair matted to her neck when she caught glimpse of the drawing on his hand and laughed weakly.
"Slow movements, okay? I don't know what kind of side effects the procedure might have had. No one's ever...done this before," Amari said in wonderment.
The ghoul held Betty's face and he swallowed hard with a smile. "That was fuckin' wild. You are out of this world, god damn."
Betty laughed. The way Hancock talked about her sometimes was as if she walked straight out of the pages of a comic book. Hell, after what she just witnessed, he might be on to something.
"How do you feel?" the doctor asked.
"I was dizzy but I'm all right now," said Betty. "Thank you for everything."
"Good, but I want you to keep monitoring yourself. Mayor, your uncanny eye for detail should help here. We have to be sure there's no long term damage. Are you..ready to talk about what happened in there?"
"There's more than one person who knows about the Institute, Virgil, that scientist that escaped..." said Betty.
"I didn't know Institute scientists could defect. This changes everything. He could answer all sorts of questions. The memory said he was in the Glowing Sea but..that can't be right. No one would risk going there, even to hide."
"Even I've only been there once, and I didn't get far before I had to turn back," Hancock said.
Betty grimaced and asked, "Why? What makes this Glowing Sea so dangerous?"
"Radiation. So much that nothing there could possibly live. Nothing...pleasant..." Amari replied. "That's why it doesn't make sense that Virgil would flee into that hell. The exposure alone...you would need some sort of protection. Power armor would be best, and would also provide protection against the Glowing Sea's residents."
"We'll make it," said Betty. "We've gotten this far."
Amari shook Betty's hand and said, "Good luck..and be safe."
Betty and Hancock found Nick sitting near the entrance, Irma laughing at something he said as she perched on the arm of the couch, legs crossed.
Nick's eyes fell on Betty as he stood up and his hand was like lightning before it coiled around Betty's throat and lifted her off her feet. When Valentine spoke, it was the voice of a mercenary that came out instead.
"Hope you got what you were looking for inside my head. Heh, I was right...should've killed you when you were still on ice."
Hancock aimed his .44 at Nick's face and snarled, "I knew I should've cut out your fuckin' tongue! Let her go, NOW!"
"You wouldn't kill your own best friend, would ya?" the synth sneered.
"I'd wage war..set the fuckin' Commonwealth aflame, so don't FUCK with me!"
Kellogg's voice laughed and said, "You wouldn't have the balls to. You're nothing but a coward..John McDonough."
Ignoring Kellogg's voice, Hancock dropped the pistol and kicked Nick's legs out from beneath him, sending he and Betty to the carpet. The ghoul pried at Nick's fingers around his partner's neck as she gripped the front of Hancock's shirt, trying to take a breath. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes and a blood vessel popped as she kicked out. Irma threw her arms around Nick's throat and sobbed, begging him to stop.
"You're going to watch me squeeze the life out of the only woman you've ever-"
It wasn't how he wanted Betty to hear it, to hear that he loves her during such a monstrous act, and it sent the ghoul into a feral rage he hadn't felt in decades.
-Hancock slammed his fist several times into the synth's head, not bothering to stop even when Nick's jaw came unhinged and cut across his hand. He would kill him, gladly murder a friend, a better brother than Patrick ever was, to save Betty.
"Nicky, don't make me do this!" Hancock shouted. "GOD DAMN IT NICK, COME BACK! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T!"
Betty's hands fell away from his shirt and Hancock reached for his pistol again, hammer cocked and ready to shoot Nick point blank in the face when the synth blinked. He tore his hands away from Betty's throat and stared at the angry, red hand prints he left behind.
Hancock kicked Valentine away, sending him back against the edge of the couch before he shook Betty's shoulders, her head flopping to the side in a grotesque manner.
"No, no, don't you fuckin' die on me now!" Hancock shouted. "I won't let ya, god damn it! Don't do this to me!"
"John!" said Nick as he reached out for his friend, his voice returning to normal and Hancock pulled the pistol on the synth.
"Don't you fucking touch her," the ghoul seethed. "I hesitated to blow your god damn face off, I won't think twice about it now!"
Irma grabbed Nick's arm and said, "Go get Amari, hurry! I'll stay with them. Go!"
The synth nodded and ran for the stairs.
Hancock placed his ear against Betty's chest and listened for a heartbeat. It was weak, but she was alive. Hancock rubbed her throat, hoping it would loosen her airway enough for her to take a breath and whispered, "Jesus...you win okay, Birdie? You're scarin' the shit outta me, now quit fuckin' around and wake up!"
Doctor Amari rushed over as medical supplies fell from her hands. She took several of the stimpaks and began to inject all of them into an artery in Betty's neck. She gasped weakly, but some of the color returned to her face and Hancock clutched her to his chest with a sigh. That was way too close.
Fahrenheit walked in, unaware of the clusterfuck going on, with MacCready and Piper in tow. They looked upon the scene, stunned and disturbed, unable to move until she shouted, "What the fucking hell is going on?"
"Fahrenheit! Lock him away!" Hancock ordered as he pointed to Nick. "Still might kill him!"
Kill him? Betty thought. Kill who? She couldn't focus much on any particular sentence; too much noise going on around her. She remembered Kellogg saying something to her, but that merc was long dead now. She was the one who pulled the trigger multiple times. It was all such a mess, she wished Hancock would tell everyone to shut the hell up.
RJ pulled Piper aside and gave her his rifle before he joined Fahrenheit in cornering the synth. As one, MacCready twisted Nick's arms behind his back as Fahrenheit grabbed the front of his shirt to ram the barrel of her own .44 into his torn face.
"It wasn't Nick! Stop this!" Irma begged.
"Get the fuck out of my way," said Fahrenheit over her shoulder as she and MacCready shoved Nick out of the Den.
After so much screaming and chaos in the span of minutes, the room became eerily silent. Hancock scooped Betty off the floor and Piper followed them out the door and into town, MacCready's sniper rifle awkwardly banging into the backs of her knees as she walked.
"Please," asked Piper, "What can I do?"
"Stay outta the way," he growled. "And keep your mouth shut about this."
"Cut that out," Betty groaned as she stirred in his arms. "She just wants to help."
"Quiet you," he said under his breath. "Your throat's hurt bad."
"Don't tell me how to live my life," Betty said and she tried to laugh, but could only manage a grin instead.
Piper opened the door to the Old State House and grunted his thanks before he headed to his bedroom.
At the top of the stairs, two guards rushed to open the door to the room as Hancock barreled past them. One guard pulled the sheets back and Hancock lay Betty down on the bed. He ripped the sheets from the guard's hands, draping them over his girl with care, before he grabbed the guard's tie and dragged him out of the room.
"Anyone tries to come in, save for Fahrenheit, shoot them in the fuckin' face," said Hancock. He pat the guard's face roughly before he closed the doors and leaned against them with a heavy sigh.
Betty sat up on her elbow and rubbed her throat. "I can't believe I'm saying this...but maybe you should have a drink."
"Don't like to get fucked up when I'm pissed. Not good to associate the two. I'd rather just snuff somebody," he said with a hint of a snarl.
"I'd rather you stay here with me than go off on some murderous rampage if that's all right."
Hancock's face softened. "Fine by me."
The ghoul pulled off his drifter's coat and tossed it over an armchair, switching his captain's hat for his infamous tricorn instead.
"Regal," said Betty with a smirk. "Now that I think about it, maybe you should keep it on...come over here."
He walked over to the bed as she pulled the sheets aside and sat down beside her, resting a hand on her leg.
"We're more than friends, aren't we?" she asked without pause.
"Is it that obvious? But come on, you don't wanna wake up to this mug every morning. Never wished that on anyone I cared for."
"I already do that," she said. "The best part of my day is waking up and seeing you're still there."
"Wouldn't expect that kind of lapse in judgement from you. But I guess that works out for me, doesn't it?" he said. "Heh. Moments like this, I know all that karma stuff is bull...because no one like me should be this lucky."
Betty pulled off his hat and kissed Hancock hard as he returned her affection with fervor of his own.
"Right now," she breathed into his ear.
She undid the buttons on her pants and began to scoot out of them, getting them down to her knees when he placed his hand over hers.
"Did you forget you damn near took a dirt nap back there? If I take you right now, I'd probably break you in half. 'Course..there's other acts I'd like to sample." He kissed her again, and his fingers reached between her thighs to graze over the thin fabric of her panties. Betty groaned into his neck; if Hancock were a weaker man, he would have torn them off right then. "And I'm starving to death."
"I've..never had anyone do-"
-Hancock glanced at the ceiling as he clasped his hands together and mouthed 'Thank you'.
Betty chuckled and said, "You really want to do this for me, don't you?"
"You have no fuckin' idea," he murmured, "And after what you just said, more than ever."
Betty looked away, her cheeks burning at the thought of Hancock's offer. When she glanced back at him, he arched his brow and she nodded. The ghoul moved towards the edge of the bed and grabbed Betty's ankles, pulling her forward. He rest her thighs on either side of his head and she reached down to cover herself.
"No need to be shy," said Hancock, and he moved her hands to the back of his head. "I promise..you'll love every second of it."
He spread her apart with his fingers, and bit down hard on his lip at the sight of her pink flesh. Just the thought of tasting her made the strain against the fabric of his pants throb and he couldn't wait another second.
His tongue was hot against her most sensitive spot, and she threw her head back against the pillow with a gasp as he squeezed her thighs. The thought of going all this time without ever feeling so vulnerable and turned on all at once almost sent Betty to the verge of tears.
Hancock made good on his promise, and slid a finger inside of her, taking a moment to watch it disappear and reappear slicker than before. He added another, Betty whimpering at the sudden fullness and she cried out when she felt his mouth on her again.
He groaned against her flesh as her muscles began to tighten around his fingers. She was close to the brink and Hancock would make damn sure that she belonged to him. He exposed more of her sensitive bud and continued to stroke it with his tongue, slow and steady.
Betty twisted the sheets in her hand and moaned, "Please..please don't stop."
Hancock never thought he'd hear his girl beg but there she was, writhing as he worked her with his mouth, pleading for him to make her come. It was absolute heaven and if she were ever the death of him, all of it would be worth it.
Betty's relief came at last with a gasp of surprise as the sensation tore through her body. She shuddered as Hancock lapped at her gently for a few more seconds before he rested his head on her thigh, very much pleased with himself.
"You and me together...this is my kinda freakshow," he said to her.
"Mine too." Betty's head fell back with a wide smile and she whispered, "What the fuck just happened?"
The ghoul reached up for her hand and kissed it. "Told ya you'd love it."
"I can't believe I went so long without ever feeling that."
"Never gotta worry about that again." Hancock sat up and pulled the sheets over Betty's bare legs with a smug grin. "All you gotta do is ask, love. Don't matter where or when. Always hungry."
"What about you?" she asked as she pointed to the tent in his pants. "I can't leave you like this, it's cruel."
"Oh, don't worry..I'll get mine tomorrow, so rest up." He stood up and cupped her face before he kissed her. He took her hand, wrapped it around his hardened length, and her eyes widened. "Somethin' to think about."
The ghoul kissed his girl once more before he rose to his feet, stretching his arms above his head. He perched his tricorn hat on his head and said, "Gonna go deal with Nicky, decide if I should use his head as a paperweight or not. Maybe grab a beer."
"Please don't. I don't think he meant it."
Hancock nodded and asked, "Need anything before I head out?"
"You've done more than enough for me today, thank you, handsome."
The ghoul smiled at the sincerity in her words and said, "Welcome, love. If ya need me, holler for one of the guards; someone will find my ass. There's a gun under the pillow, though, just in case."
"Pretty sure I'm sitting in one of the safest spots in the Commonwealth."
"That you are."
Hancock stood at the door and watched Betty settle beneath the sheets. Even now, she didn't seem all that fragile. She was tough, no matter what was thrown at her. Perfection incarnate, in his eyes, anyhow. He threw open the doors and the guards clapped and whistled as the ghoul held up his hands with a smirk, to Betty's chagrin.