[color=CDB5CD]"Victor, this is Tobias,"[/color] Quinn gestured to the man at her side, relieved that Tobias was amiable toward the old robot. Back in New Vegas, nobody much liked the securitrons due to the fact the functioned as automated police. They were typically given a wide berth. Having grown up alongside Victor, she was comfortable and familiar with the funny looking machines.

Victor gave the  a mock salute as he replied, [color=9F703A]"Think nothin' of it. Saw a couple of bad eggs skulking up by the old water tower to find you. Surprised you was still kickin', that's when Miss Angela showed up. So we hauled you off to Doc Mitchell. Aside from that mark on your noggin, seems like he got the job done." [/color]

[color=CDB5CD]“You didn’t happen to know the men that shot him? Or remember anything notable about them?”[/color] Quinn asked, casting a sideways glance at Tobias. She knew that if she were in his shoes, she would be hellbent on tracking the bastards down and making them pay for trying to put her six feet under.

[color=9F703A]”I’m ‘fraid not,”[/color] Victor’s tone became sullen, [color=9F703A]”I wasn’t close enough to see and they were long gone by the time I rolled up.”[/color]

[color=CD3700]“Well, it's just lucky you were in the area to begin with,”[/color] Toby added placatingly, though it was obvious he was slightly disappointed by this news. [color=CD3700]“It’s odd, though. They had to be after something I had, but they didn't take everything. I can't say I've had a chance to check through my belongings yet, but for someone to go to all the trouble of killing a guy for someone else’s delivery… Must have been one heck of a valuable package.”[/color]

Quinn looked at Toby with a frown. [color=CDB5CD]“A delivery?”[/color] she asked, arching her eyebrow and cocking her head, [color=CDB5CD]“You’re… a courier,”[/color] she guessed, her mind going back to before she had started this crazy errand. House had asked her to keep an eye out for a courier carrying a poker chip. He hadn’t told her what significance it had, only to be watchful. House never did anything without intent, so whatever this chip was, it must be valuable. Quite possibly valuable enough to put a bullet through the poor delivery guy’s head.  

Victor didn’t say anything, the only sound coming from the robot being the tiny whirrs and beeps of his mechanism hard at work. For a normally chatty and responsive fellow, she found it odd that he chose not to comment on Toby’s musings. 

[color=CD3700]“Apparently, according to what Doc Mitchell said he found on me,”[/color] Toby replied with a slight shrug. [color=CD3700]“Can't say I actually remember what I was supposedly carrying, because, well, you know.”[/color] He gestured at his head wound offhandedly. 

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers as he announced, [color=CD3700]“Maybe I still have something that tells me what I was delivering before I got into this mess. Excuse me for a moment.”[/color]

He proceeded to turn his attention to the messenger bag the doc had given him, and rummaged around for a few moments until his hand brushed against a folded sheet of paper. The young man pulled it out and unfolded it, squinting slightly as the harsh midday sun made the paper almost painful to look at. As he angled himself so that his shadow fell over it and he could really see its contents, a confused frown overcame his face before twisting into a look of utter bewilderment. [color=CD3700]“You’ve [i]got[/i] to be kidding me.”[/color] He shook his head, seeming as if he couldn't believe what he'd just read.

Quinn exchanged a look with her robot friend, who’s eternally smirking cowboy who now held something other than a cigar, a kind of vibe she had never once gotten from the old securitron. She watched with narrowed eyes and quirked eyebrow as Tobias reached for the note and unfolded it. A part of her wanted to lunge forward and see its contents, but she wasn’t [i]that[/i] rude.

 [color=CDB5CD]“What is it?”[/color] she asked, sounding a little more interested than she otherwise should have. If he was the courier of the chip, then maybe he would have more answers about what it was for, that is, if he could remember. A blast to the head was a pretty debilitating injury, especially in the memory department. House was also a secretive sort, and there was a good chance that he wouldn’t have revealed what the chip was for. 

[color=CD3700]“I think whoever tried to do me in must’ve had a ridiculous obsession with pre-war paraphernalia, because I was apparently en route to bring somebody a gambling chip,”[/color] he let out a humorless laugh at this, offering the paper to Quinn as he hadn't missed her obvious intrigue. [color=CD3700]“If that's the case, I can't imagine any sort of person that would go out of their way to kill a guy over a useless knick knack. What could possibly be so important about that thing?”[/color]

Unlike Tobias, Quinn failed to find the humor in the situation, now not entirely sure if she should reveal what she knew to this stranger or not. Then again, he had been entrusted with the chip, whatever its purpose, and it had nearly cost him his life. Whoever had shot him must be an enemy of House to go so far as to take the chip. 

 [color=CDB5CD]“You we’re supposed to deliver it to the strip? To the Lucky 38?”[/color] she asked even before he handed her the note. She accepted it when offered and studied its contents. Sure enough, the instructions were clear as crystal and highly simple. There were no names or dates, just where the chip needed to be taken.  [color=CDB5CD]“What do you know about the person who ordered this… chip?”[/color] she asked tentatively. Victor was still silent, suddenly and strangely distant. 

[color=CD3700]“Sure seems like it,”[/color] he replied, frowning at her mention of his client. Who [i]had[/i] he been employed by? He hadn't even been able to remember his own profession - trying to recall what he had been doing seemed to be even less of a possibility with that in mind. Sighing frustratedly, he answered, [color=CD3700]“I… I can’t remember. I know I should be able to, but there's just nothing there.”[/color]

He paused for a moment, considering something. [color=CD3700]“Somebody’s got to have seen whomever tried to get rid of me, though. There's no way they could have passed through here completely unnoticed, surely.”[/color]

Quinn pursed her lip and frowned when he stated that he couldn’t remember. His memories might come back, they might not, but for better or for worse, this courier was connected to her employer. House had always been a mysterious sort, and despite having lived in the Lucky 38 for most of her life, she barely knew a thing about him or who he really was. Her father had never questioned it, just happy for a relatively safe place to raise his daughter comfortably, but the older she got, the more she wanted answers. And now, with the appearance of Tobias and this poker chip, whatever House was up to was dangerous and it was getting innocent people hurt. She was starting to wonder what she was really getting herself into. 

[color=CDB5CD]”We could ask around town,”[/color] she suggested, handing the note back to him, [color=CDB5CD]”There’s a good chance they stopped through here searching for you,”[/color] she pointed out. She wasn’t exactly one to help people out of the kindness of her heart, but in aiding Tobias, she could get answers of her own too. Plus, he seemed like a fairly decent person, the kind that wasn’t common in the wastes and especially not in New Vegas.

Tobias accepted the paper and tucked it back into his bag, pausing when she offered to look around with him. He honestly hadn't expected to have much help with this. Considering she had already gone out of her way to save his life earlier, the courier had gotten the impression that Quinn intended to get on with her own business within the day. Taking this offer as one coming from sincere generosity, his expression turned into a mix of gratefulness and embarrassment. [color=CD3700]“I certainly appreciate the offer, but I’d hate to keep you waiting around here if there’re other things you need to do, miss. You’ve done so much for me already, and I’d hate to waste more of your time…”[/color]

It then occurred to Quinn that her offer to help might seem strange, considering she had no outward attachment or involvement with his plight, other than having yanked it out of an early grave. She wasn’t sure whether or not it would be wise to reveal her interest in the chip and why she was keen on finding it too. For now, she would keep that to herself. She could determine whether or not he was trustworthy later when she learned more. 

[color=CDB5CD]”Oh, um, it’s really no trouble,”[/color] she assured him, [color=CDB5CD]”Unless you don’t want poking around your business, I mean, you don’t really know me, but,”[/color] she paused and looked over at Victor for a moment, who was still strangely silent. [color=CDB5CD]”I think we can help each other,”[/color] she finished, turning her eyes back to Tobias and crossing her arms, [color=CDB5CD]”You’re headed toward New Vegas, as am I, and I don’t have to tell you how dangerous it is doing so alone.”[/color]

[color=CD3700]“Oh, no, I didn’t mean that. Thank you,”[/color] Tobias amended as he realized she had taken his hesitance for lack of trust, [color=CD3700]“Thank you very much. That’s a very kind offer. Though I’m not sure I’ll be headed there without what I was supposed to have first. Something tells me it might be a bad idea to show up to my employer empty-handed. Although never going there at all doesn’t seem like much of an upstanding course of action, either. I [i]really[/i] hope we’ll be able to find some sort of a lead here-”[/color]

Suddenly, his head snapped up, eyes filled with newfound determination. [color=CD3700]“Even if no one saw my attackers, it’s possible they’ve left traces of their presence behind. Things someone else could identify. Where exactly did you two find me?”[/color]

[color=CDB5CD]”In the graveyard up by the water tower,”[/color] Quinn replied gesturing back toward the looming structure in the distance, [color=CDB5CD]”I can show you. Here, you can borrow this,”[/color] she pulled off her backpack and knelt on the ground, rummaging through it and withdrawing a 10mm pistol and a few rounds and offering it to him, [color=CDB5CD]”Just until you get something. You go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you. I need to talk to Victor for a minute,”[/color] she said, standing up again and shouldering the bag.

[color=CD3700]“Thanks, and that sounds like a plan. I’ll see you in a bit, then,”[/color] Toby said with a nod, taking the weapon and ammunition she offered him before starting off in the direction of the Goodsprings cemetery.

Quinn waved as he turned to go before she looked back at Victor. [color=CDB5CD]”What’s going on?”[/color] she asked bluntly, furrowing her brow and placing her hands on her hips. She didn’t want to beat around the bush with the old robot. She knew he had to know something and she wanted answers.

He hesitated a moment. [color=9F703A]”I’m not rightly sure,”[/color] came his rather unconvincing reply, [color=9F703A]”Seems to be like we got a mystery on our hands. Best run along after him and see what you can find.”[/color]

The pale haired girl narrowed her eyes with suspicion, but it was clear she would get nothing more from him. [color=CDB5CD]”I came all this way to take you back to New Vegas. House needs you back, and I’m not sure why, but I can’t leave here without you, understand?”[/color] she said, dropping her hands to her sides again and arching an eyebrow at Victor. 

[color=9F703A]”Don’t worry, Miss Angela, it’s time for me to come home,”[/color] he replied cryptically, [color=9F703A]”Run along now, that boy’s gonna need your help. Find the chip, get it to Mr. House.”[/color]

[color=CDB5CD]”This sounds like a goodbye,”[/color] she stated flatly, now more confused than when she first started talking to him. He knew something about this damn poker chip, she could tell by the way he spoke, but for whatever reason, he wasn’t telling her why it was important, why House needed it so badly. [color=CDB5CD]”Just come with me,”[/color] she insisted, taking a few steps in the direction Tobias had gone.

[color=9F703A]”Nah, I’ll just slow you down, they don’t much like me over in town. I’ll be here when you’re ready to leave,”[/color] he replied, and not waiting for her retort, swiveled around and wheeled back toward the little shed.

Quinn watched him go silently, not bothering to call after him. Frustrated, she closed her eyes and exhaled sharply before turning and jogging in the direction the courier had gone. She had a bad feeling about what she was starting to get herself mixed up in, but with her connection to Victor and strong ties to House, it didn’t seem like she had too much of a choice. She needed to know what was going on and how Tobias fit into all this. There was a good chance he knew something vital but simply couldn’t remember because of his head injury. There was certainly no harm and only gain from helping him find the men who nearly murdered him, because they had the chip and must know what it’s worth to have gone to so much trouble to track down and kill the mailman. 

[h3](Collab: Part 1)[/h3]