I had no idea my story was going to end up being so successful. Thanks so much for reading, and keeping me writing! So, a new story… this is going to be fun, I was looking forwards to writing this sequel almost as soon as I'd gotten halfway through 'The Iron Prince'. So here it is! Enjoy! DO NOT READ THIS STORY UNLESS YOU HAVE READ 'THE IRON PRINCE' FIRST. Thank you. ^^

- NEW YORK: 1969 -

"Dad? Dad, there's a lady on the telephone for you!"

The man looked up from his book. One of his five 'daughters' stood near the door, the receiver in her still-pale hand. He put his book down, open on the seat and got up, reaching for the phone.

"Hello?" His voice was horse, and a bit difficult to understand. Advances in medical procedures above surface had made it possible for him to repair his vocal chords… granted badly. But he had a voice again. As much of a voice as he could have.

"Is this Jack?" A young woman's voice. Strange. He looked around at his now teenage daughter, who shrugged. So she didn't know who it was either.

"It is. Who is this?"

"Thank goodness, I finally found you, look I need your help. Please."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Please, meet me at the Ace of Diamonds Club, 8:30pm. It's really important. Please Jack." The phone hung up.

Jack stared at the receiver in his hands, before hanging up. His daughter, all of whom were now about fifteen years old, stared at him.

"Dad? What's wrong?" She asked, finally, seeing the confusion written on Jack's slightly aged face.

"…Dad's got to go out for a bit, Cynthia. Look after your sisters, okay?" He said, reaching for his coat and hat. He didn't even know why he was going, but the desperation in the woman's voice struck a chord in him.

***** The Ace of Diamonds Club *****

Jack shivered a bit and leant against a wall. It was a rather miserable night; mist creeping down the street, hiding the causes of drips, and the faint yowling of cats. It was raining lightly, and Jack pulled his hat down a little lower.

"Jack?"

He turned slowly. A woman, somewhere in her mid to late twenties. She was a rather pale and spindly looking thing, with a tired look in her grey eyes. She held an umbrella in her hands to cover her short dark hair, and was huddled in a slightly oversized fur coat. She must be pretty well off to afford something like that.

" The lady from the phone. Who are you? And why did you call me out here?"

"Jack. I need your help. I told you when I called." She said, calmly. He frowned.

"My help? Look lady, I don't even know who you are. Speaking of which how do you know who I am?"

"It's about Rapture."

That silenced him. He hadn't heard the word 'Rapture' in almost ten years. Not since he and his daughters had escaped to the surface from that god-awful place.

"Tell me who you are, and what you want."

"My name is Gwendoline Hazelmere. And I need to go back to Rapture."

He sighed. Was she insane? What would possess her to do that? The place was a death trap nine years ago, it'd be a death trap now.

"You have got to be kidding. I won't go back there."

"I'm not asking you to. Just help me access the Bathysphere system. Please. I… promised I'd come back. I can't leave him there for one more second." She said, pleading. She looked like she was going to cry…

He watched her for a moment. So that was why… a promise to someone important. He couldn't help but feel pity for her.

"Okay. Look, I'll help you activate the Bathysphere, but if you want to go down there and get yourself killed you're on your own."

He had no idea why he had agreed to help her. The desperation in her voice (and his inability to refuse a pretty face as well) might have had something to do with it.

He had been even more surprised he really had agreed to it when he'd boarded a small amphibian aircraft with the very same woman a few days later, directed the pilot to the lighthouse in the middle of the ocean.

"This is it. The surface entrance to Rapture." He said, finally. It was disturbing being back here. He just wanted to go home now. No, just get it over with. Let the girl go get herself killed if that was what she wanted.

He helped her up the water-soaked steps, and pushed open the tall, wide doors leading to the Bathysphere pod. Was there even going to be one there? Maybe if there wasn't he could just go home now.

But there was one. He motioned to it, stiffly.

"Get in then. I'll activate it from out here. But if you make it out alive… you owe me. Okay Miss Hazelmere?"

"Agreed." She said, flashing him a tired smile as she climbed in to the slightly tarnished pod. He forced himself to smile back as he pulled the outer lever, turning away as the familiar sounds of the Bathysphere airlock system clicking into place.

He held back bitter memories as the pilot flew him back to New York, and as he made his way back to his apartment.

Back under the sea, Gwendoline Hazelmere watched, her heart aching in her chest as Rapture loomed into view, a neon giant sleeping upon the seafloor.