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Nick shook out his trench coat straightening to a standing height before he dropped slightly to offer his arm to Ellie. The woman spat out dust and sneezed near him.
“You know when I told you I needed backup, I didn’t think I’d mean it literally, Ellie.” He said apologetically. There was some concern lurking in his gaze and tone. Ellie rolled her eyes and curled her arm around around his, leaning in to him unconsciously.
“So you’ve said, Nick. This isn’t my first time out of Diamond City and I do know how to use a gun, even if my talent doesn’t really lie in fighting.” She brushes her skirt off and looked a little mournful about the more obvious tears in her hosiery. She should’ve gone in leathers or a flannel, instead of her usual office wear.
“I know but it doesn’t make me feel any less like schmuck for dragging you out here. Chrissakes you’re the secretary and the face when the angry politicians come around.” He started walking forward, snubnose .44 out and ready while Ellie tucked her 10mm in her skirt belt securely.
“Well it isn’t everyday the great synth snoop sleuth needs the help of a girl like me.” She said, smiling and curling her other arm on top, securing herself to him.
Nick sighed and shook his arm a bit but didn’t really try to extricate himself. “Think this is really necessary, Ellie?”
Ellie hummed noncommittally and kept her hold on him. “This is nice. Sun’s out, no radstorm, no Super Mutants and we haven’t run into any raiders yet.”
She could nearly feel him roll his eyes at her. “Oh yeah, real classy out here. We can even count the ferals as overexcited waiters just jumping at the chance to take our order.”
She scoffed and cast a quick glance around them. “It would be funnier if you’d ever take me out.”
Nick cleared his throat. “Not nearly enough coworkers for that sort of thing, doll. Need at least two more for a Christmas party.”
Ellie clicked her tongue and opened her mouth to sass him but Nick’s snubnose went off and the wail of a raider rose up. She threw herself behind an old car and saw Nick roll out of the way of a peppering of shots.
“It wouldn’t hurt, Nick!” She called out. “I’d even take the noodle stand!”
“Right now, really?!” He pulled out of cover and shot off twice, taking down one of the raiders that had slithered from an alleyway. He pulled back in time to miss a Molotov cocktail to the face.
“I’m just saying - ”
Nick cut her off impatiently. “Doll, as much as I’d love to hash this out at this exact moment, could you focus on not getting shot so we can hurry up and get this job over with?”
Ellie sighed and pulled out her 10mm. Men. Thought they could avoid everything with a little well timed violence. “We are talking about this Nick!” She called back and fired around cover at one of the raiders to draw some of their attention away.
From across the way, Nick shot a look at her, hat tipped a little forward but he took a shot at a raider who had wandered too close to their position so the comment passed silently.
.
Ellie looked around miserably.
“You never take me anywhere nice, Nick.”
He chuckled a little and lit up a cigarette. “Regret coming with me?”
Ellie watched a drunk man tackle another drunk and they sprawled out on the ground below, half-heartedly exchanging blows until one of them turned his head to vomit. “Only a lot.”
“Filthy den of sin, but you’re usually guaranteed to find someone here, or at least some of their trail. Anyone who leaves Diamond City wanders into Goodneighbor.” He exhaled.
Ellie rose her brows at him, holding up a hand to wave away the smoke. “I never stopped at Goodneighbor when I first got to the city.”
Nick shrugged. “To be fair doll, you came with a hell of a lot of travelling caravans. Usually they avoid this part of the city since it doesn’t have the patrol Diamond City does.”
They stepped around the drunks and the puddle of vomit and Ellie realized -
“Oh. We’re going to see the Mayor.” She couldn’t withhold the cringe. The first time she’d met him, he’d beat an opponent to death with a bladed pipe. He’d been all charm and politician-smooth after and before, but Ellie had remained a polite distance and just behind Nick’s shoulder the whole time.
Nick caught her expression anyway. “He’s not a bad guy, Ellie.” She gave him a doubtful glance. “Well he’s not the worst out there, and he’s trying at least, which is more than I can say for Mayor McDonough.” He exhaled with a scowl at the thought of the rotund man.
“Well, you trust him Nick, and you’ve worked with him before so I can’t complain. And it should go without saying that my hiding behind you will not be even remotely negotiable.” She sent him a look this time, and set to straightening her hair.
“Fair enough.” She did meet Hancock that once when he’d been on investigation about a rival in the shadows threatening to undermine him. Then witnessed Hancock murdering him when she and Nick had discovered that he had sold people from Goodneighbor, and Diamond City, to traveling slavers.
The Old State House loomed overhead.
Nick looked over at her. “Normally I’d say ladies first, but in these circumstances I can tell this wouldn’t be wise.”
Ellie gave him a sarcastic glance. “You’ve cracked the case once again.”
He chuckled. “You know I think you've gotten saucier since you started working at the agency.”
She sighed. “Someone has to be able to keep up with you Nick. And those shuffled mounds of papers you call case files. ”
“Well doll I have to give you something to do.”
Hancock was charming as ever. He popped a Mentat in his mouth, offered Ellie one who smiled the offer away. He only grinned at her. “Loosen up sister. This is Goodneighbor. For the people, of the people.” He winked.
Nick coughed and drew Hancock’s attention from the woman he knew was clearly struggling not to roll her eyes. “Did a dog crawl here with its tail between its legs?” He asked and stubbed out his cigarette.
Hancock laughed and hooked his thumbs in his belt, jerked his head to the side. “I need a drink.”
Ellie followed at his heels and saw a man in a black leather jacket wink at her. She smiled back but it melted off her face when he kissed the air and curled his tongue at her. She reached out and gripped Nick’s sleeve. Without a word, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe you should've stayed at the office.” He muttered.
Ellie tsked. “What, so his mistress can shoot you while he skips town again?”
“This is no place for you.” They entered the dark bar and the sounds of Magnolia crooning a pre-war song filtered in. “Little more planning wouldn't have hurt, if that's all you were worried about Ellie.”
“Getting your hand stripped isn't nothing Nick. I'm here, we're doing it.”
He sighed the only way he ever did when she was particularly aggravating. “Doll, I'm worried about what they'd do to you.”
“If it makes you feel better, I won't be in the fight, just I don't know backup fire.” She articulated a wavy hand gesture, eyes rolled up to the ceiling.
Nick smiled slightly and in the dim, smoky atmosphere of the bar his eyes shined like streetlights. Ellie felt a blush crawl across her face and hoped it didn't show. “You gonna be yelling “suppressing fire” in the back, firing blindly?”
“I'll even close my eyes when I do it, smartass.” She smiled up at him when they stopped in front of a booth in the back of the bar.
Hancock laughed. “Okay. I'm all for love across any banner, but could you two maybe tone down the married vibes? You're ruining my groove.” He sprawled himself across one seat of the booth and nodded to the one across of him. Nick let Ellie slide in first before following, leg pressed at the knee to hers.
“Don't usually see you without your entourage, but I can see why today is a special occasion.”
Hancock grinned and popped a Mentat in his mouth. “Saw that did you?”
Nick straightened the collar of his trench coat. “Might have. Looks like someone is trying to rise to the top.”
Hancock shrugged and rolled his shoulders casually, coat flipping open to reveal a heavy shotgun at his hip. Ellie tried very hard not to squirm.
“I’m all for the people, Nick, and if a change in leadership is what they want, well hell I’m all for it. I kinda miss the road, you know? But cheating the people, getting others killed. Nah. That’s definitely not what Hancock is for.” Despite his levity, Hancock’s demeanor had taken on a kind of menace that had Ellie unconsciously put her hand on the 10mm at her side.
The ghoul noticed and winked at her. “Don’t worry toots. It’s just politics and assholes that get me riled. Not cute girls like yourself.” Despite herself, Ellie flushed and Hancock let out a raspy laugh.
Nick sighed and leaned forward. “Much as I appreciate your politicking John,” he started off drily, “I need information on a runaway husband.”
“Probably shacked up at the only goddamn hotel here.”
“His mistress is a one Elvira Bones.” Nick cut in before Hancock could continue. The ghoul’s eyes widened and he crunched on the Mentat in his mouth.
“Well no shit.” He laughed and knocked back the rest of his flask. “Same Ms. Bones who ran off with most of the med supplies for ol’ Goodneighbor?”
“The same, I thought you’d want to know.” Nick said grimly and placed a hand on his hat, tipping it forward. “You mentioned she’s holed up around here, selling supplies at three times the price and preventing caravans from coming through.”
Hancock nodded thoughtfully, looking from Nick to Ellie and back again. “Dangerous territory, man. What’s your secretary doing out here?”
Ellie stiffened. “I can shoot you know.”
“I don’t doubt it toots, but there’s nastier things here than raiders. Super Mutants, ferals.” He let the sentence hang.
Nick looked at her pointedly. “Radroaches.”
She pursed her lips and sipped at her water. “I can handle a few roaches, Nick.”
His brows raised. “Oh I suppose I’m experiencing some memory failure when we had a small nest in the back and you climbed on my back, swearing you’d burn my agency down if I didn’t get rid of them.”
To her credit, Ellie was careful not to turn red. She averted her eyes. “Those were..particularly large.”
He sighed. “You’re killing me, Ellie.”
She cleared her throat, “Anyway. Nick can disable turrets and lockpick as well as any thief, he needs help getting in. You help us, we help you?” She looked at Hancock bravely.
He nodded, a small smile on his face. “I can dig that. But what about you, toots?”
“My name is Ellie . I can get passed any magnetic doors - you won’t need a key card.” She promised.
He grinned. “Now that sounds like a good time.”
Nick perked up. “Hancock, no -”
“Don’t worry, Nicky. I won’t cramp your style - or steal your girl. I’ll get a few bruisers together and we’ll head out tomorrow. Two molerats with one stone, am I right?” He pushed away from the booth and left abruptly.
Ellie and Nick sat in a moment of silence. She turned to him with a sly smile. “This is as close to a date that we’ve had and we’re here for another couple.”
Nick looked over at her briefly. “I’d ask if we could put a pin in it, but I’m afraid that grenade will blow up in my hand.”
She nodded sagely. “It really would.”
Nick gestured for another water for Ellie and a lighter for himself. “How about after this case, we take a breather? We can’t go anyway fancy - ”
“Nick I don’t need fancy. I just need a day where we’re not putting everyone else ahead of us. I like the work we do, I do. But sometimes I’d like to be just the tiniest bit selfish.” Without further ado, she wrapped her arms around his and leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Ellie, I ever tell you you’re one hell of a gal?”
“You do. Doesn’t mean I don’t like hearing it.”