His hands were sweating as the elevator crept up the multitude of floors to the casino's penthouse.

Six didn't like the small metal compartment he shared with the securitron, and especially didn't like the feeling of vertigo he experienced being lifted so far above the ground.

He felt no better once the doors finally opened and a humanoid robot greeted him.

In fact, it was much more human-looking than any robot he'd ever seen.

Its body was more human the face, being a blank template of a woman's, and lacking a moving mouth. Instead, its lips stretched into a wide smile, teeth replaced by a metal grill that issued forth it's high, tinny, female voice.

"You must be here to see Mr. House!"

Six barely managed to nod, and being appeased by that, the robot turned to lead him around the small rotunda into a pseudo office. Six followed a short distance behind, sizing up the body of the robot, which is what made it "female". The robot possessed desirable curves, for a robot, and its feet were designed to look like she was wearing high heels. The entire amalgamation disturbed Six, but he waived it off as "she" prompted him to descend a small flight of stairs and approach a beautiful oaken desk.

Six walked hesitantly over toward it, suddenly shocked by a sudden buzz of the projector switching on, displaying a tall handsome man colored dim blue sitting at the desk.

"Do sit down Courier Six,"

The holograms voice was smooth, svelte, commanding as it brandished toward the seat opposite of it. Hesitating for a second, Six slowly placed himself in the padded chair.

"Now, I assume you've brought my package?" the hologram leant forward, clasping its hands under its chin.

"Y-you're Mr. House?" Six stumbled out.

A flash of annoyance crossed the blue visage.

"Who else would I be?"

Six mentally slapped himself.

"My package?"

Shit, he thought, he hasn't gotten the bad news yet.

"Well, uh... There may be a problem with that," Six confessed.

One of House's eyebrows rose.

"You mean to tell me you still haven't recovered the item from Benny?"

Six's eyes went wide for a second.

"You know about the Benny situation?"

Another look of annoyance, staying put this time.

"Yes, I keep tabs on all my investments. Benny is currently in the Tops as of yesterday,"

Six breathed a sigh of relief, he halfway expected Benny to be gone by now.

House sighed and stood, walking around the desk until he was close enough to raise the hairs on Six's arms. He sat on the edge of the desk, playing with the fingers of his left hand.

"I have little time to sit here and dally on about jobs that should be finished. I need that package from Benny, and I'm still willing to pay your contracted fee if you return it before next week,"

House didn't even make eye contact as he spoke, seemingly more interested in picking at his nails.

"I will allow you and your... Companions use of the Presidential Suite until the time I release you from my employment, but this does not grant you access to any other rooms, floors, or facilities. Is that clear?"

Six nodded, surprised that House was so calm.

"Good, now if you please, leave my office and do not return without my package. Jane will see you out," he motioned toward the feminine robot

Later in the Presidential Suite...

"So that's it? We march into the Tops and take the package from the leader of the Chairmen? Seems like a good idea," Boone scoffed as he rooted through the refrigerator in the suite's kitchen.

"If you got a better idea I'd love to fuckin' hear it. If not, then we gotta figure out some sort of plan here," Six retorted.

Finding a can of baked beans, Boone returned to the table, prying the can open with a knife.

"Whelp, seems like we may have to do this quiet," Boone admitted as he scooped up some beans on the edge of the knife.

"What's the plan? Sneak in and kill Benny?"

Boone coughed out a mouthful.

"Hell no! That's a shit idea if I ever heard one. I got a better one, and it'll take all three of us,"

Six scratched the side of his face, mentally chiding himself for not shaving off the thick stubble.

"Well, we got until next week to get this package back. I'm going to get some sleep, and we'll talk about this when Veronica is sober,"

Boone nodded, still eating the cold food, as Six made his way to the guest bedroom. Veronica had "claimed" the bedroom when he and Boone carried her into the suite.

As he lay on the mattress, Six quietly prayed that his sleep remained dreamless as he slipped under the covers.

From the Author...

So yeah, it's been fuggin' forever since I updated. WoW does that to you, and having a rushed officer promotion due to massive amounts of drama does not help. BUT a friend has been encouraging me to write more, and it seems that my recently acquired music/movies is providing much needed inspiration and adaption to style.

Before you ask, yes I played havoc with the female robot, and no she's not like ME3's EDI. She more follows Metropolis' titular female, and expect to see more holo-House and her in the future as I expand their roles in the story.