The wheels in Maverick's head were still turning as he led Leyah toward the science lab. Why would she suddenly start thinking this way? She had been optimistic ever since he met her and now he was starting to see the wear and tear of the wasteland starting to settle in. For some reason, that bothered him.

Leyah had not said anything hinting that she thought that way until last night at the GNR station. From the little information he knew about Leyah's childhood with her father, he knew that they had a good relationship. He could tell from the very way she talked when she told him a few stories about her dad in Springvale.

Whatever made James leave the vault had to be colossal. Maverick knew Leyah knew this, but he also knew that keeping frustrations and doubts like that inside could make someone go fucking crazy.

Maverick halted in front of the door and glanced back at her. Leyah looked nervous and she was biting at her thumbnail. She looked up at him and Maverick almost felt sorry for her when he saw the doubt in her eyes.

"Leyah, you went through damn metro tunnels, raiders, and fucking mutants to get here. Don't let your own mind freak you out now," he ordered, opening the door.

He held it open for her and let her walk in before him before shutting it behind them. She halted at the top of the stairs and looked around. He could hear the deep sigh leaving her lips over the whirring of the various machines below. Leyah's shoulders slumped down and he could see her deflating.

James wasn't here.

Not knowing what else to do, Maverick stepped forward and gently rested a hand on her lower back and pushed. "Come on, Leyah. Let's find out what we can and plan from there."

Leyah let out a soft laugh. "Wow, and here I was thinking that you would be cussing up a storm right now."

Maverick actually was pissed that James wasn't here because there were very few safe places the bastard could be and he was not at most of them apparently. And, he was pissed at how that caused the defeated look Leyah had right now. She didn't need his usual grumpy self at the moment. She needed a damn friend.

"I know when and when not to be an asshole," he retorted, stepping down the stairs.

"Really? I couldn't tell."

Maverick couldn't help but grin.

He stood to the side as Leyah talked to Doctor Li. He was tempted to step in more than once when he saw how distressed Leyah became a couple times. He looked around the lab and noticed a shady old man standing with a bodyguard in the corner. Maverick narrowed at his eyes before looking around the rest of the lab. He couldn't help but look for exits and possible threats in any room he went into now. He was never taught to think otherwise.

Leyah finally stepped away and made her way toward Maverick, looking exhausted. "He might be at the Jefferson Memorial. That's where his old project was at least."

Maverick frowned. "Shit, you were right last night. We should have-"

"You were right though, about finding out all that you can. I know why he was there and what might have happened now. And we can get supplies."

They started to head toward the exit of the lab. "I remember a big ass project being there, but the Brotherhood members weren't allowed to talk about it with Initiates. What was he working on?"

Leyah huffed out a laugh, stopping in her tracks and looking up at him. "You know, a lot of the things he did in the vault makes sense now. He used to be obsessed with how the water purifiers worked. That's what they were working on there, he and my mom."

Water purifiers? "You mean they were trying to clean the nasty ass water?"

"I guess. That would take something colossal to clean out all of the radiation. I—"

A bony, gnarly hand grabbing her arm stopped the sentence in its tracks.

Maverick's arms moved before his mind could process what was happening and he had his shotgun pointed in the old bastard's face before he could say anything. The bodyguard behind the old shit had his gun pointed as well.

"Hey! No fighting in my lab!" Doctor Li shrieked.

Leyah ripped her arm from the old man's grasp. "What the fu-"

"If you would kindly ask your companion to lower his gun, perhaps I'll introduce myself," the old man huffed, glaring at Maverick over his spectacles.

Leyah's lips pinched into a thin line. "Not until your guy lowers his."

Good girl, Maverick thought, cocking his gun.

The old man waved off his bodyguard and Maverick only lowered his shotgun when the bastard had his strapped onto his back again.

The man turned out to be Doctor Zimmer and he was looking for an android. Maverick crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. He didn't like the sound of this. Androids were shady business in the first place and there was a reason why the Brotherhood avoided that technology.

People shouldn't try to create synthetic life. It never went well.

It made sense that the android would run away though. If something was created to think like a human, it was going to react as a human. It was plain as shit and Zimmer obviously couldn't see it.

Leyah's smile was fake and Maverick wondered what she was up to when she agreed to help find the robot.

They finally walked out of the lab and Maverick grabbed her upper arm to stop her. "What are you up to?"

Leyah's face turned grim. "I'm going to find that android and warn him. He deserves to know that Zimmer is on his heels."

Maverick nodded in approval. "Good. Androids are bad news in the first place. Its bastards like Zimmer that make my skin crawl."

"I think they're fascinating in theory, but only that. Theory. The way Zimmer was talking about the android made me a little angry. How can you expect something to still act like a robot when it's programed to think like a human? It's stupid."

Maverick knew he liked her for a reason.

Leyah ended up going back to the Weatherly Hotel lobby to start asking about the history of the old tub and Maverick decided that it was high time for a drink.

He found himself looking at the old bartender while he nursed his whiskey in the corner of the old bar and he knew he was in over his head when he found himself standing up and walking over to her. He knew she thought he was crazy when he asked about the history of Rivet City.

Rachel would have been tickled pink to see him going out of his way for someone.

He also would have owed her 20 caps because he bet he would never do that.