Rina sighted down her scope, sizing up her targets. Three men standing over a figure huddled on their knees with what appeared to be a burlap sack over their head.
"Easy pickings," she whispered to herself as her finger ghosted over the trigger of her rifle. She began to inhale, preparing to unleash judgment upon the unlucky victims in her sights when Acosador, her canine companion, began to growl in warning. She could hear the soft crunch of dirt and rocks under clumsy and heavy footfalls.
"Stop there or my friend will tear your throat out," Rina said without ever taking her eye from the scope of her rifle. "State your business or leave now, I'm working."
"I.. I.. I'm a co-cou-courier with a message for ra-ra-ranger Blunt ma'am," stammered the nervous courier. "I-I.."
"Place it on the rock next to Acosador and leave." She stated cutting off the simpleton that was this courier.
"B-bu-butt..." he began.
"3-2-1..." Rina counted down before squeezing the trigger of her rifle in three quick pulls ending the lives of the three men with precise and effective shots to their heads. The thundering crack of her rifle fire echoed through the arid wastes as she exhaled calmly. As she turned away from the ridge she was laying on she was pleased to see the holodisk resting on the rock next to her patient companion and the back of a courier swiftly scurrying away in the opposite direction.
She stretched where she stood before leaning down to pick up the package the courier'd left for her. She slung her rifle over her shoulder as she began to load the holodisk, placing her steps carefully as she headed towards the captive who lie in the burlap sack, no doubt panicking from the sound of her shots ringing out. She pursed her lips, making a low whistle sound and Acosador obediently began to follow closely behind her at a dull pace.
Rina listened carefully to the voice of Mr. V and his offer for this team mission. She quickly decided that her schedule was abnormally empty and her caps purse far too light for her liking. The recording came to an end as her boots crunched the dry dirt around the captive, reaching out and grabbing the sack in a fist, yanking it up and tossing it aside.
"Mr. Andrews?" she asked, looking upon the dirtied face of the old man bound at his wrists behind his back. The sheen of dirt on his face was stained with the evidence of tears and he smelled to be in severe need of a bath.
"Oh my God... T-thank you.. " he stuttered, his jaw trembling as he spoke. "Who sent you to save me?" he questioned, pulling his squinted gaze up to her face, his eyes still adjusting to the bright Mojave. Rina silently wondered if a man of his status had even been exposed to the harsh weather of the wastelands much before.
She answered his question with the soft sound of laughter. bringing her hand to the bridge of her nose and pinching it in slight annoyance. "I was sent here by the NCR. You see, they don't take kindly to their secrets being leaked out to the enemy." She pulled her pistol from it's holster at her hip, placing the barrel firmly against his temple. "Surely, you understand. It's just business."
"N-no..! Please..." he began to plead through sobs, now freely falling. "I can pay you! I can get you caps, Denarius'! Anything! Name it just, please..." he begged, his shoulders sagging with he violent cries.
Rina smirked, tensing the finger on the trigger in preparation to end the mans life. "Please tell me, Mr. Andrews. How is it you can pay me with my own money?" His eyes grew wide in realization that his life was no longer his own, the bullet travelling through the shell of his skull and splattering on the harsh sands of the desert.
-- 2 Days Later --
Rina sat quietly in the corner of the bar, nursing a glass of sweet whiskey to her lips as she watched the interactions of the group of misfits. This was the group she was supposed to perform this task with? Surely these people had some actual skills that would be of use, other than being socially inept or unusually large. Tensions rose at the bar, causing the group to take their conversation outside. Sighing loudly, Rina dropped a fistful of caps on the bar, tapping it twice and giving the barkeep a nod and heading outside to the group. She didn't say a word once outside, simply leaning on the outside of the building as Acosador rolled in the dust outside, showing a random moment of carelessness, quickly perking his ears up as Rina was in view, but remained lying on his stomach with his eyes fixated on her. She called him over with a silent gesture and he dutifully paced over to her, seating himself at her foot as she eavesdropped in on the conversation.