Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Elizabeth eventually stopped her theatric performance when she realized that no one appeared to be buying it. Everyone here at the Fort knew her too well, and they wouldn't trust her any sooner than Mr. House would let in the Legion onto the Strip with open arms. There needed to be somebody else...

She turned towards a tent and saw two people talking. They were noticeable because one of them was a handsome man in a fancy suit (and how often do you see THAT in Freeside?) and the other had said she was with the Crimson Caravan.

The Crimson Caravan!

Immediately, Elizabeth wobbled over and put her most pathetic face on.

"Excuse me, ma'am..." Sherwood said in her most pathetic voice, holding her stomach. "I'm in a lot of pain....and the.........doctors here are out of Med-X. I was hoping that maybe you nice Crimson Caravaners could spare some Med-X for a poor, pregnant girl lost on her own with no food and very inadequate living arrangements that involve irradiated water and Giant Rats...."

Putting on her big puppy eyes, Sherwood produced a tear that rolled down her cheek. She did this by extending the periods between blinks, drying her eyes and forcing them to tear up.

(Well, Lacarix took too long and Tango isn't part of the thread anymore, so Lianna is up)

"Tops Casino, eh? I think we'll be getting along well, Mister Evans." Nadia grinned, inwardly dancing with glee. She'd heard the rumors all the way down from New Reno about how intact the casinos of Vegas were. If this hot shot could somehow manage to get her inside the mysterious Lucky 38, she'd probably be launched into unprofessional hysterics of glee. Well, providing the building and its tech paid out, of course. Not to mention her other destinations....

The frantic woman snapped her out of her thoughts. "Huh? Med-X? Right...." Drawing her coat aside, making mental notes to keep her .44 always within quick-draw reach, she fumbled for a moment with her medical attache case while quickly eying up the woman. Too distracted by the business at hand, she hadn't bothered taking the time to calculate a reasonable sale price, and she certainly didn't want to add any more caps to her coffers in such a dangerous part of the city. She'd simply give it over for free, despite the loathsome voice scolding her in the back of her mind. Besides...it sowed the seeds of goodwill. "Consider this a free sample...a token of goodwill from you friendly neighbors." Producing the Med-X, she handed it to the woman with a carefree smile. "My associates and I will endeavor to satisfy all our customers' needs!"

Elizabeth Sherwood stood frozen, with her hand stuck out and a grateful smile on her lips which was slowly fading. The caravan woman had been about to give her some Med-X when the man in the fancy suit ruined everything. Apparently, he had been to the storage tent and had seen that there was, in fact, enough Med-X, but the rest of what he said didn't make sense. He had called her a junkie, had said he could tell one after being around them so much. But Elizabeth doubted she looked that much like a druggie. She had no physical signs, no bloodshot eyes, no shaking hands or limbs, no signs of withdrawal...

"I'm not a druggie!" Elizabeth protested, trying to sound both hurt and angered at the same time. "I'm just a poor, irradiated soon-to-be-mommy who is in pain! These things are hard to come by, and the Followers can't afford to give it out for free! So, I'm reduced to begging. You're from the Strip, you don't know how it is like to be stuck out here in Freeside, the town of a thousand woes!"

(Sal said that he can post by the end of today. After that, posting order will go back to normal. I'll post after him.)

"Don't lecture me on love, okay, Sierra! Does this kid even know he's your boyfriend? Jesus, why would the NCR give you that gun if you're having these meltdowns so goddamn always?!"

After she began running away, Spencer shouted back at her.

"I don't give a fuck where you're going, as long as you are back here tomorrow, okay? Christ, we'll find your little boy toy, okay?"

Before they left, Spencer stared at the woman, looking for any tell tale signs of a lie. When he could not find any, he sighed and shook his head.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about that. In my business, you don't get successful by trusting people. And when I'm surrounded by chem fiends every day... it's hard to distinguish cases like yours from people looking for their next fix. Tell you what- talk to Kenny in the tent over there. Tell him you need it, and that I sent you. That should help."

"Oh, that was hardly the first impression, baby. There's more where that come from later." he said teasingly as he led Nadia to the gates of the fort. "And don't worry, I'll get you into Vegas faster than you can say 'Ring-a-Ding Ding!'"

He laughed quietly when she mentioned Nellis.

"Sorry, doll. You might have to. They'll trade with you, but those cats have their gates locked up tighter than a virgin in Vegas. There was this one guy that managed to get in... that courier that caused that stir a few years back. But no outsider since then has stepped foot in that base."

He listened intently while she spoke.

"Oh, there's nothing like Vegas. I've never been to Reno, but I can guarantee that it can't compare. I can't imagine living anywhere but there. The lights, the music, the nightlife, it's the best place in the Mojave if you ask me."

As they neared the Atomic Wrangler, Spencer began noticing several Kings eying him.

Probably nothing, he thought, just being paranoid. When the Wrangler was in sight, he stopped and pointed to it.

"See that place? We'll be there tonight. I know, it isn't the nicest place in town, but some circumstances conspired against me, so we'll just have to make due. Afterwords it's cocktails and neon lights for you. That doesn't sound too bad, now does it? Now, just get into my room so I can get you out of that outfit..."

Suddenly he was interrupted when the two were pulled into an alley by three Kings. They pulled guns on the pair and backed them into a corner. Spencer looked around and chuckled nervously.

"Listen, fellas. Let's just talk this through, okay? You want caps? I can get you caps."

The gang members remained silent, holding their ground.

"Okay, not caps, I get it. What do you want? Booze? Chems? A pass to Vegas? Just give me the word and you have it. Just let me and my date go on our way, okay?"

One of the kings finally spoke up,

"We've already got those. What's gonna happen is that you and that girl are gonna end up in that dumpster over there. There's nothing you can do about it. So just shut up and this will make it easier for all of us. Mr. Lawrence sends his regards."

Spencer shut his eyes tight waiting for the gunshot that never came.

(Okay, Steel, fixed that right up!)