Freeside was much as it had been since the Courier's victory almost a month ago. There were more people now, and they tended to look healthier. The differences were a bit more subtle: buildings looked a touch cleaner, people were wearing nicer clothes. Corpses had been cleaned up. Even the Old Mormon Fort had actual wooden buildings inside it now. They were still fairly primitive, but now they were able to bring it more medical technology and workers, originally needed to help them cope with the flood of injured people in the wake of the Second Battle of Hoover Dam.
There he was, walking down the middle of Freeside, wearing an eye-catching duster outfit. He had short, messy black hair and a thick goatee. Combined with his sunglasses and bandana, he certainly stood out amongst the poor neighborhood. His confident gait, the purpose with which he moved, and the polished black assault rifle (with a silver metal, polished receiver) gave him an air of authority. Most people who walked around simply ignored him, though some pointed and whispered in hushed tones as he passed. He didn't seem to fit the descriptions of the travelers and citizens, of "Courier Six," whose real name nobody seemed to know. He was supposed to be kind and giving and... well, this man looked dangerous. Badass, one might say, as he patrolled the streets.<|im_end|>
After her escape, Jessica realized that there was only one place that she could go and find any amount of safety: New Vegas. Fully protected by the enigmatic 'Courier' and his army of Securitrons, it was inaccessible to Caesar's Legion, the group that had enslaved her for nearly a year.
She didn't have the caps to get into the Strip. That much is for sure. The Securitrons had turned her away immediately. However, she had heard rumors about the kind-hearted Courier and his tendency to patrol the City himself - even the slums of Freeside.
For days, Jessica worked and survived in Freeside, doing anything for some caps or even a hot meal. All the while however, she kept an eye and ear out for any news of her potential savior. Luck was on her side, as word spread that the Courier was out and about, keeping safe the streets of Freeside. She flew from the seedy bar she had been frequenting in search of the Courier.
His regal presence and the deference with which everyone treated him left no doubt in her mind that the simply dressed and armed gentleman strolling down the street was the mysterious man she had been seeking. After a calming breath, she ran up to him, completely ready to recite the speech she had already prepared, providing a level-headed and logical proposal as to how she could be useful to him if he allowed her to stay in the strip, despite her poverty. However, to her dismay, when she opened her mouth what came out was: "Looking for a good time tonight, sir?"<|im_end|>