[quote=@TheUnknowable]((Snip))[/quote]
"A reasonable response," Jennifer said, as though the idea of tampering with the chip had never crossed her mind at all. The guy did have a point. "Still, I think I can help with more than just setting it up.

"And no, I wouldn't mind a bit of compensation for the help," she said in a joking tune.

Ten minutes later, the chip was connected via a mess of wires to a display, a keyboard, and Spark's Pip Boy.

"Ready to get started?" she said, beginning typing. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
[quote=@Letter Bee]((snip))[@shadowsaint007], [@Madly33], [@The_written_John]
[/quote]
"No thanks, I'll walk," he replied. "And no sweat; just a freak shot. Could have been much worse."

Gabriel had the good sense to stay on his two feet, keeping an open eye and nimble running stance in case anything happened. Plus, while the Yao Gui was a tough target, he was a [i][b]big[/b][/i] one, meaning all the fire would be aimed at the giant mutant bear.

The hunch paid off; the moment shots were fired, Gabriel managed to tumble into cover, and got his rifle ready. Peeking behind cover, he quickly made out the attackers; three gunmen, one of whom was blocked from Gabriel by Par and the bear, and two dogs. The dogs were the smaller targets, and while they can be fast and wily, he needed to take down the ones armed with guns, reducing the chance of a lucky shot. Hopefully, 'George' can handle the dogs.

Though a slaver who used the term 'ignoramus'... a cultured slaver? Will wonders ever cease?

He took a deep breath, aimed from behind cover, squeezed the trigger - and the man in the center had his face disappear in a puff of pink mist. The second to go was the one on the right, leaving only two dogs and one armed gunman. Hopefully, this would be enough for Par to handle himself.

One of the dogs, however, saw where the shots came from, and ran towards Gabriel, barking loudly.

"Aw, crap!" Gabriel said, pulling out the 9mm pistol to shoot the thing before it got too close. Several shots went wild, another winged the thing, eliciting a sharp yelp of pain from it, but it barreled towards him regardless. Only quick-thinking got him to use the rifle as protection, the dog snarling as it bit down on the barrel. The momentum knocked him backwards, and the dog, snapping and snarling, tried to reach for something softer with its sharp teeth. Taking an opening, Gabriel jammed the pistol against the side of the dog's jaw, and opened fire several times, stopping only when the dog flopped to the ground, lifeless.

Panting, covered in blood, and suffering several bite wounds on his hand, arms, and fingers, he crawled back a couple of feet to catch his breath, making sure to stay hidden out of sight.