.

Cass pushed the last of her steak listlessly across her plate, frowning in silence at the seasoned meat. Around her, the dining room of the Tops was a flurry of activity. Waiters rushed to and fro, and individuals dressed in the finest of pre-war fashion engaged in lively conversation.

NCR businessmen had started to return to the strip, and with them saw the return of the pretentious elitism that had eventually driven her from that territory. Bunch of shit-nosed, egotistical...

Cass sighed. She wanted a drink.

Well... another drink, she mused darkly as she stared down the empty cup set above her plate and the steak that continued to meander across it. As nice as it would be to indulge herself, she had places to be in the morning and it wouldn't do to further burden her mental capacities with a hangover.

A tap on her left shoulder robbed her train of thought, but when she turned to look in that direction, she could find nobody near enough to be the source of the touch. A moment later a pair of arms wrapped around her neck and raven hair pushed against her check.

"Got you," a familiar voice stated, muffled against her neck.

"You little shit," Cass muttered, a smile finding its way onto her face as she leaned into the embrace. "What are you doing here?" she asked as the newcomer released her and moved to sit in the chair beside her.

"Got tired of the gilded cage," Veronica replied, reaching over and snatching the morsel of steak from Cass' plate. Before the caravaneer could protest, Veronica popped it into her mouth and began to chew happily. "Oh that's good."

"I know. It's why I ordered it."

"What is it?"

"Bighorner."

"Really? What's the Tops doing with Bighorner meat?"

"Trade agreement with Jacobstown."

"Oh! Is that why there's a super mutant sitting at the slots over there?"

As if in response, a series of excited beeps and shrill whistles burst to life, followed by a deep laugh and the sound of heavy hands clapping together. Cass glanced behind her at the smiling super mutant as coins began to cascade into the machine's hopper before him. The outburst drew many concerned glances from the individuals sitting in the dining room, but Cass could see a fair amount of smiles from those at the slots, and one woman even congratulated the happy super mutant.

"Partly," the Redhead answered through her own smile. "Denn has the more stable residents of Jacobstown wandering around the strip acting like its a perfectly normal thing and the families all have orders to act like it's business as usual. Helps people become 'acclimated to their presence,' apparently."

"Makes sense," Veronica replied.

"Damn condescending if you ask me."

"How so?"

"It's the same process used to introduce a new handler to a brahmin herd."

"Hey, some of my best friends have been brahmin."

"At least they had good taste."

"Some of them literally... that was a rude realization after dinner one night."

"It was probably your friendship that enhanced the flavor."

"That or the food I snuck them. Surprisingly, the Brotherhood doesn't feed their livestock particularly well."

"That's not as surprising as I think you think it is," a gravely voice interrupted from behind. Cass turned and nodded a greeting to Raul who responded in kind as he moved past her and leaned down to give Veronica a quick embrace. "Good to see you out and about," the elderly ghoul said happily.

"Good to be out and about," Veronica replied, winking at Raul as he sat beside her opposite Cass. "How goes maintaining ye' olde tower?"

"Steadily. I may be an old ghoul, but I'm managing things well enough. Plus any questions I have can be answered by Mr. Yes."

"I like that. 'Mr. Yes."

"Thought you would. I'm running out of work, though. Boss has his new hands taking care of most of my work."

"New hands?"

"Shiny ones. I can't say anything more."

"Oh right," Veronica said, shifting her eyes around the dining room suspiciously and touching the side of her noes. "Wouldn't want anybody listening in to learn about the Courier's upcoming shiny hands."

"A state secret," Raul replied, frowning studiously and nodding his head. "Those new hands will be very helpful."

"Especially with how shiny they are."

"What fella wouldn't want shiny new hands?" A individual asked as he walked towards the companion's table with a cane and a limp.

"The Top Tops man himself!" Veronica said, grinning up at the be-suited newcomer.

"It's good to see you back on the strip," Benny said through his smile, nodding in turn to the companions.

"I thought you didn't do that anymore," Veronica quipped, reaching up and waving her hand in the general direction of Benny's face. Cass smacked the former Scribe's hand and shook her head helplessly.

"It's a hard habit to break, if I do say so myself," Benny replied, and Cass thought she could see the muscles in his face contort in a wink behind his opaque glasses."Is there anything I can help you with this fine evening?"

"More steak," Veronica answered.

"More steak?"

"More steak."

"More steak it is."

Benny turned and a hustling waiter almost crashed into him before he took a step back and let the apologizing staff pass by unobstructed. As Benny walked away Veronica squinted suspiciously at him.

"I don't think he's actually blind," she stated.

"I'm sure that he would be happy you think that," Cass replied, taking the chance to glance behind her. A lone businessman a few tables away twitched and suddenly became very interested with his menu.

"Oh! Somebody's watching us?" Veronica said, having noticed the response Cass had caused. "Let's watch him too, just in case."

"That would be fairly interesting," Cass stated, turning back to the table and winking at Raul. "That fellow is from New Reno."

"Oh! Turf war!"

"Nothing so dramatic. He's trying to get into talks with the Omertas."

"The Omertas? Why?"

"Judging by the 'exports' New Reno has I can guess his reason," Raul replied knowingly.

"What exports? They're like New Vegas but without a Courier."

"Let's just say they produce something I consumed a fair amount of in my pre-war adolescent years."

Veronica frowned for a moment, and then her eyes lit up and her mouth opened in shock. "Porn!" she all but shouted.

The conversations from the closest tables stopped and a fair number of eyes turned towards Veronica.

"I bet lady Stone has been pretty uncooperative," Veronica replied, ignorant of the stares directed her way.

"You'd be correct," Cass replied, raising one eyebrow at a particularly prudish looking couple seated at the table closest to their own. "In fact, from the Omertas' recent purchases it seems like they're going into business for themselves."

Veronica blinked at Cass. "I wonder if Denn had considered that eventuality."

"He certainly has the body for it I suppose," Raul replied seriously, "but I think that'd be a 'worst-case' scenario. I would be a pretty good fluffer if it came down to it."

"What's a fluffer?"

"Don't worry about it."

"No, really, what's a fluffer?"

"What's a fluffer?" Boone echoed as he approached the table, his lips canted in his slight smile as he nodded at Veronica and sat opposite her.

"I'll tell you when you're older," Raul answered.

"Unlikely... How are you feeling, Veronica?"

"Like a million fluffers!" Veronica replied happily.

"No... no," Raul said, his head in his hands.

"What does fluffer mean!?"

"What are you doing back at the strip? Is it my turn to head down there yet?" Raul asked Boone, ignoring Veronica's question.

"Not yet. Officially, I'm reporting to the Courier on the status of the United Mojave's first bootcamp," Boone answered.

"How is that going by the way?" Cass interjected.

"Well. Moreno drives hard, but after the first week we haven't had any discipline issues."

"What happened the first week?"

"Four broken arms and a fractured skull. They got the point after that."

"Think it will work?"

"Moreno knows what he's doing. I think we'll turn them into something respectable eventually."

"And the unofficial reason you're here?" Veronica asked.

"Classified," Boone replied, winking at the former Scribe. "But I think he also wanted to give me a chance to see you. He's the one who told me you were out and about."

Veronica scowled. "I was trying to sneak out."

"Why didn't you were a disquise then?"

A waiter appeared, interrupting Veronica's reply as he placed four steaks before the assembled companions and took their order for drinks. Cass stuck with water.

"This smells amazing," stated Veronica almost reverantly, before she and her companions continued their conversation between bites of carefully prepared meat.

.

.

"Thanks again, Benny."

"Anytime. Apprecite the heads up on Boone. Why don't you drop by yourself? Meat's fine and the music's poppin."

"I wouldn't make it through the door. Too many people looking to get a word with me."

"Could sneak you in the back?"

"I appreciate it, but I've got work to do."

"When won't you? Gotta take a break sometime."

"Not if I can help it. Have a good night, Benny."

"Yeah, well, same to you. I'm sending over one of these steaks and if you don't try it I will see it as a personal offense."

"Fair enough."

Denn cut off the communication and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Gannon lay before him. Still. silent.

Denn gripped the side of the surgery table, tears running freely down his face.