At The Precipice Of Something New

Something Old

Diamond City
December the 5th, 2287
20:34

"Myrna, really, really, really, I –"

Though not particularly close, both Piper and Myrna gently took one of Ellie's shoulders and helped the hyperventilating woman sit down. On the other side of the room, one of the local barkeeps and a friend of Piper's, Vadim, was humming to himself and mixing drinks for them. The bar was, itself, surprisingly empty for the night only having just begun. Apart from a few of the almost ever present patrons, the only people present were the three women, Vadim and his brother and co-owner Yefim, and the waitress, Scarlett, who was sweeping up and humming to herself. When Ellie was, finally, situated on the couch, she began fidgeting with her long, pink scarf, seemingly needing to do something – anything – to keep her hands busy. Myrna uncomfortably sat down across from her, and crossed one leg over the other before crossing her arms, the files of information she had brought with on the table in between them. The only somewhat cheerful one among the three women, Piper walked back over to where Vadim was mixing drinks and began chatting with him before, eventually, they went back over to join Ellie and Myrna with the drinks in their hands.

"This will help, calm you," Vadim said, handing Ellie a glass of wine. "Just don't drink too much or you'll make yourself sick."

Myrna scowled at him when he sat down beside her. "Could you sit like a normal person? With your legs closed, as a start?"

Vadim started laughing but awkwardly stopped when he saw her gaze had not relented. Half taking the hint, he shifted as far away from her as possible on the couch but leaned back and stayed seated otherwise just as he had been.

"I appreciate the thought," Ellie said after a minute of slowly sipping at the wine. "And thanks for helping out, Vadim. It means a lot."

"Well, no one wants Valentine's Detective Agency to close!" Vadim said, picking up his bottle of moonshine. "And I'm always happy to help out a friend of Piper!"

Ellie managed a faint smile. "You're too kind. I really appreciate it and, I'm sure, Nick will too."

"Have him come by the bar after he's found!" Vadim grinned and turned to Myrna. "So, I hear you have some information too. From traders, no?"

"I heard some rumours from a few of the incoming and outgoing caravaners," Myrna said shortly. "All of them centre around a few locations near the old Boston Commons. Apparently, there may be organised crime around former subway stations."

Ellie perked up the faintest bit. "Really?"

"Yes," Myrna sent Piper a sour look when she sat down across from her and next to Ellie. "Are you seriously going to nonchalantly drink a beer when you've coerced me into this?"

"I told Ellie to ask you for help," Piper said, setting down her beer to light a cig. "That's not coercion."

Myrna frowned at her when she took a draw on her cig. "You'll be lucky if I don't tell Lissy or Hadley you were smoking again."

"I go on and off," Piper said with a shrug. "And not the point, Myrna. You're really edging up on earning the nickname 'crazy Myrna.'"

"How...who told you –" Myrna turned pink and cut herself off. "Damn it, Danny..." She muttered under her breath.

"I did some asking about Nicky, too," Vadim said, and Ellie let out a sigh of relief. "Myrna has more to say, I'm sure, but I asked about triggermen and Skinny Malone. That was the name you gave me, no? Well, there's a lot more of them lately. I went up to the Colonial Taphouse, Cooke said some of those men are from that Chicago, lots of triggermen under lots of mobsters including Skinny."