You Are My Sunshine

Chapter 2

John Hancock laid sprawled on his tattered red couch, an inhaler of Jet in his hand, the world around him slowed down a lazy smile cracking across his ruined lips, a sheen crossing his dark eyes. His tricorn hat sat on the table in front of the couch. He sat up as Farenhight came in, "Finn is up to his shit again." His dark eyes narrowed as he sat up grabbing his hat off the table, pocketing the inhaler and headed down the stairs of the Old State House and into the open air. For the last few weeks Finn had been extorting people when they came through the gates, he had let the first few slide but he was done. That's not how things ran in his town.

As he came around the corner he could already hear his mouth, and someone who he hadnt seen in awhile, Nick Valentine. "Well well, its the detective, tracking down another wayward husband to his mistress? "Why, someone stand you up?" "Tryin that, what do ya call it? Evasive language on me?" Finn turned his sights to the woman in front of him, "And who are you huh, Valentine's dick in training?" Hancock held back when he heard a woman's voice, and immediately felt himself harden in his pants. "Whats it to ya." "Gotta know who's backing who in goodneighbor. Ain't never seen you before, maybe you're in the market for a little insurance." The woman growled at him, "Unless its keep the dumb assholes away from me insurance, I'm not interested."

Hancock bit back a laugh, this woman was not only great looking from what he could see, which wasnt much, half her face was covered, the only thing showing was her eyes and a bit of dark hair under the cowl she wore, but had an attitude to match. "Now dont be like that. I think you're gonna like what I have to offer." Hancock rolled his dark eyes, but his interest was peaked, wondering what she would do, "You had over everything you got in those pockets or accidents start happenin to ya. Big bloody "accidents." The woman pulled a throwing knife out of a hidden pocket on her person, ready to fight, her eyes flashing dangerously, as if daring Finn to try something.

Hancock had heard enough, stepping out of the shadows, a growl in his voice. "Woah woah time out. Nick Valentine makes a rare visit to town and you're hassling his friend here with that extortian crap? Good to see you again Nick." Nick kept his voice neutral, a gentle nod towards Hancock as he and Angel watched the exchange. "Hancock." Angel's eyes flicked slightly towards Nick and then back to the scene before them, 'so this was Mayor Hancock', she thought as Finn flicked the still lit cigarette off into a trash pile as he turned to him, "Why do you care? She ain't one of us." "No love for your mayor Finn? I said let em go." "You're soft Hancock. You keep lettin outsiders walk all over us, one day there'll be a new mayor." Angel snorted softly, catching Nick's attention, he looked towards her slightly but said nothing, 'Yeah and it won't be you asshole.'

"Come on man. This is me we're talking about. Let me tell ya something." Hancock put his hand on Finn's shoulder and leaned in, quickly grabbing a hunting knife from his back pocket and stabbed him twice in the gut before Angel or Nick could blink. "Now why'd you have to go and say that huh? Breaking my heart over here." He wiped the blade on his pants as he looked up at Angel, "You alright sister?" She looked at him, taking in his features slowly, she had seen her fair share of ghouls over the long years she had been alive, but nothing like him.

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks for taking care of him." Hancock smiled a bit, his rough voice almost like gravel, "Good. Now don't let this incident taint your view of our little community. Goodneighbor's of the people for the people ya feel me? Everyone's welcome." Angel rolled her eyes, biting back a smirk, "Of the people, for the people? Oh brother..." Hancock chuckled, looking her up and down some, "I can tell I'm gonna like you already. Just consider this town your home away from home. So long as you remember who's in charge." Hancock turned away heading back over towards Farenhight, who was leaning against the wall, having watched the entire ordeal, an uncomfortable tightness in the front of his pants.

Angel watched him leave, eyes on his back, as Nick walked up next to her, "Come on Doll, we gotta meet with Amari." She nodded, watching as Hancock headed back inside the old state house before letting Nick take the lead. She walked behind him as they walked down the small alley. It opened up to a large town square, a few shops here and there, a Hotel, Hotel Rexford and something called the Memory Den, along with a bar called the Third Rail. Nick nudged her, getting her attention and she looked to him, "Ive gotta meet with Amari, should only take a few hours." Angel nodded and they parted ways, she heading towards the bar, the ghoul standing near the door watched her as she headed inside.

The bar was inside an old subway station, another ghoul bouncer watched her go down the stairs, and as she decended the stairs her eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, not many people were there as it was only the afternoon. She walked up to the bar as a Mr. Handy unit spoke with a gruff british accent. "What'cha want love." "A nuka cola cherry." "Three caps love." He grabbed a nuka cola cherry from a cooler and she fished out the three caps and put them on the bar for him and popped the top off her bottle of soda and took a swig, the bite was like she remembered.

She slowly turned around, watching the few people in the bar, someone stepping up on the small stage to the left of the bar, taping the mic a few times as a female singer stepped up, her ghoul band mates tuned their instruments, Angel watched them as the singer stepped up and started to warm up. She only listened half heartedly, her mind wandering to a certain ghoul mayor.