Fallout: Born Unto Trouble

25. Reunion

The Strip was much more impressive in person than Gloria could have imagined. Sure, it had been expensive to get inside, but it was sure worth the money to see the blinking neon lights and drunk patrons laying on the street. Ace looked rather unimpressed, but that could have been because she's been here before.

Stacy, on the other hand, was having a hard time with the blinking lights and loud noises. Gloria stopped to help Stacy up, trying to calm her down from another breakdown. "It's okay, just close your eyes and cover your ears, Stacy. I'll take you somewhere quiet, okay? Just breathe," Gloria had no idea how to comfort her, but she instructed Ace to take her to the cheapest, quietest hotel and get her settled down.

The commotion around the hotel closest to the main gate caught Gloria's attention, and she slithered through the crowd to see what they were gawking at.

Out waltzed a large, muscular woman followed by a securitron and an eyebot flying at her heels, and some of the crowd began to whisper about her in wonder, amazement, shock. Gloria managed to understand why this was such a big deal.

The Lucky 38 was home of Robert House, the man who ran The Strip, and no one was allowed to enter or leave... until now.

Elizabeth blinked a couple of times when she made eye contact with a familiar woman in the crowd.

"...Hill!" Gloria could barely hear the other, but she ran straight to the Vault reject and hugged her tightly.

"Gloria Hill..." the Courier gently touched the other's cheek.

"Rosalina Elizabeth Cruz." the Wanderer replied, smiling.

___

Mr. House wasn't anything special.

Just a really smart computer man, Elizabeth thinks to herself as she walks back into the dark casino. Nothing more, nothing less.

Elizabeth decided that, while he was extremely professional, she hated him.

Still, he offered her the presidential suite for her and her friends to live in.

He gave her the details about what he wanted: The Platinum Chip for double the price. He was, after all, the one who hired her to deliver the Chip, and in the end, Elizabeth was a courier. She had a contract to fulfill, even if the recipient was a particularly unpleasant person.

Both the NCR and the Legion wanted to see her. As she exited the Tops a few days ago, an NCR messenger told her that Ambassador Crocker wanted to see her. A few minutes later, Vulpes Inculta himself told her that all the bad things (or, "sins", she guessed) she's done to the Legion were forgiven. And now, she talked to the infamous Mr. House.

These past few days have been very, very interesting.

And meeting Gloria again had managed to trigger some memories; something about a man named Chris, leaving her home, meeting Ace and getting shot in the head...

She clutched Gloria's shoulder, "Wh... where's the rest of your team?"

"Team? Ah... Butch died about a year ago, but Stacy's here. She left with Ace to get her out of a meltdown."

"I'm sorry about Butch."

Gloria shrugged, "It's whatever. So, uh, do you remember Happy Days Homeless Shelter?"

Elizabeth motioned for the other to follow her down the street, "Yeah... I think so. Why?"

"Stacy, Ace, and I are here to take you back. Elise is worried sick about you."

"How long was I gone?"

"Three months with absolutely no contact with anyone there."

The Courier hummed, "I can't. I have things to do."

"Like what?"

Elizabeth rubbed her fingers over the platinum chip, "I have to save New Vegas."

"Alright, then. Whatever you want. I think we're staying in Vault 21, so head on over there when you're done." Gloria waved goodbye, and headed back to the hotel.