Good morning, Mr. Roscoe. How's your – shit, no. Good morning, Mr. Roscoe. That's a lovely tie. Say, what's the latest on – no.
"Have a good day at work, honey."
Mr. Roscoe, I think that – goddamn, where'd I put it? There it is, there it is, did she see it?
"Thanks, dear. Doing anything today?"
As if I don't already know…"I've told you at least a dozen times, Frank!"
"Remind me, please?"
"Steinman's just come out with the latest in do-it-yourself skin care! And you know I've been wanting it for ages."
Yes, dear…just please leave the room and go to Medical and let me go…to work.
"Okay, honey. Have a fun day!"
The things I do for you…goddamn, where'd it go? Okay, okay…Right there? Shit, too obvious…There we go. Just like Atlas. Good morning, Mr. Roscoe. I've got something I want to talk to you about. Yeah, that'll work. Okay. Okay, out the door like normal.
"Morning, Frank."
Shit.
"Morning, Curt."
"Roscoe opening the bank back up today? After everything the radio says is going on?"
"Can't let a little something like that Kashmir scuffle keep one of the biggest banks in Rapture from shutting down. He gave us the usual New Years' off, but it's back to work today."
"Damned if my own boss won't open for another month! Don't know how I'm going to afford the rent."
Then why are you still walking to the train station with me, you bastard?
"Say, Curt, where are you going if your job's still closed?"
"Linda's off in Arcadia with the kids for a day or two. Says it'll help keep her mind off this so-called 'civil war' they keep going on about. Trust me, give it a few days, it'll all blow over. People are happy the way things are. So I figure I'd just go to the Fort and enjoy myself. Or maybe…the Alley."
Yeah, you're happy alright, Curt.
"Well, don't mind me. I've got some stuff to think about."
Radio said they were freedom fighters. I like freedom! That's what this is, yeah yeah yeah. Freedom. Just like on the radio. Ryan says it's about freedom too. I'm free, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I'm free. Curt's free, I'm free. That's what they said when I came down. They said I was free. There was no law. There was no government. There was only me and my freedom. Yeah, yeah, that's what they said. And Atlas just showed me what I forgot. Yeah, I'm my own man!
"Something wrong, Frank?"
"Jus' thinking…"
"Hey, hold up a second. How are things between you and Mary? I mean, I know after the kid came, you two have been having a bit of trouble. Don't look shocked, I hear it through the walls. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, no, we're fine."
"You sure? I know a few people who could help. There are some people who deal with…er…some under-the-table Plasmids, if you know what-"
"I don't do that!"
Shit.
"Okay, okay, calm down! I was just offering to-"
"Well, I don't deal with any 'under-the-table' anything! So keep your people and let me deal with it, okay?"
"Okay, okay! I just thought maybe a little…I dunno, a little Homemaker would help you out."
"Well it wouldn't."
Goddamn, why do I have to wait for the train next to him? Why'd he have to say that? Why'd he have to bring legality into it? Homemaker, Safecracker, why'd he have to mention them? Mary's fine. The baby's fine. We're just a little short on cash, is all.
"We're just a little short on cash, is all."
"Heh, aren't we all? And that Kashmir thing really's got people scared! Look, there's no one here on the platform 'cept us! Nobody wants to leave their homes. They're afraid Atlas and his terrorists are going to get them."
Freedom fighters.
"Yeah, I guess. Still, a few more dimes in my pocket wouldn't hurt."
"I hear that. But unless you're fixin' to rob your own bank, ha, I wouldn't count on old Roscoe giving you a raise anytime soon!"
Shitshitshitshit does he know? He can't know, look at him, he can't know. God I hate that stupid laugh of his. Look at him, thinks he's funny he doesn't know he can't know.
"Ha, yeah."
Where's the train? Where's the train? I can't stand next to this bastard for much longer without killing him.
"Hey, is that yours coming? Yep, looks like the one for the banks. Well, hey, I'll see you later! And…just think about what I said."
Just ignore him, just ignore him, just – why is she looking at me? Can she see it? Oh god, can she see-
"Five dollars for a ticket, sir."
A ticket, yes, a ticket, that's what they always sell on the trains, a ticket.
"Here."
He was right, there's no one here. That's good, that's good. Stop looking at me, whore. I'm not in the mood for you. Stop looking, stop, don't come over here, don't – oh god, she's going to feel me up and then-
"Hey there, handsome."
"Go away."
"Aww, but I just wanted to-"
SLAP
Jesus Christ, I've never hit a woman before. Jesus, what's got into me? My wife…think about her. It's for her, Frank. It's for her. It's all for her. And her beauty treatments. And the baby. And the food and the rent and the treatments and the Plasmids and our life. It's all for that. Just look down. No, don't answer them. Pretend you're crazy. Pretend you're someone homeless who stumbled onto the train.
"My stop…"
Don't look up, just get off the train. Right, right, that's good. Right. Good morning, Mr. Roscoe. How was your vacation? Listen, I've got something I need to talk about. Remember when you said you'd give me that raise a while back and then you-
"Morning, Frank."
"Morning, Bill."
"Early today, aren't you?"
Dammit! Should have come in normal time.
"Figured I'd show Roscoe how much I love working for him."
"Heh, you and me both, pal."
Goddammit! Stop walking with me! Stop walking next to m-Jesus Christ
"What's that?"
"That guy? Dunno, he wasn't here before the vacation."
Godfuckingdamn, it's a checkpoint. A checkpoint, Roscoe's scared out of his goddamn head and he said up a checkpoint to make sure no one steals anything from the bank records damn damn damn
"ID, gentlemen?"
Damndamndamnshitdamnfuckdamn
"Thank you. And yours, sir?"
"Frank, what's up with you? Just show the guy your ID."
"Thank you, sir. Have a pleasant day, gentleman."
That…was it? No gun search? No pat-down? Can't be that worried, then. Can't be too nervous about a threat.
"Jesus, Frank, you look like you've seen a ghost! Security's a bitch, but it's not like we're robbing the bank we work at!"
Jesus Christ, not you too. It's not that obvious, it can't be that obvious. They promised me there wouldn't be any physical side effects. Just like the advertisement: "The top of the line for the smartest hacker, let your brain do the work with our Safecracker." Brain, not hands. Nothing physical. Top of the line for the smartest hacker
"And where are you two gentlemen off to?"
Let your brain do the work
"I'm off to see the boss, miss."
With our – holy Christ above
"And you, sir?"
Nononono, he can't see the boss
"Sir?"
I'm seeing the boss not him he's not going there no
"Frank, answer the secretary! What's wrong with you today? That Atlas thing get you shaken up?"
Not Atlas not Atlas no I don't know who you're talking about
"At…las?"
"Jesus Christ! Did you hit McDonagh's last night or something?"
Don't know 'em, don't know 'em can't know 'em they'll know they'll know he's going to the boss because he knows
"Well…I'll see you later, Frank. I need to talk to Roscoe about something. Maybe you should…I dunno, lie down or something."
Can't go, can't go. He's a…witness.
"Sir? If you can't remember where you're going, at least just punch your card."
Card? Card. Card in the pocketshitshitshitshit other pocket Jesus Christ Jesus Christ
"Here."
"Thank you, sir."
I'll go…elevator. Office. Yes. My. Office. My. Office. And wait, I'll wait and wait and it'll be noon and he'll be gone because the boss will be eating lunch and I'll go in because I need to talk to him and Bill will be gone because it will be noon and I'll be waiting in my office. Floor. What floor. It's…it's
"Hey, Frank! Looks like you finally came to your senses! What floor you need?"
No, no, no no no no elevator. Stairs, yes. More natural. Stairs.
"Frank! Hey, Frank! Where ya going?….Crazy bastard…"
What floor, what floor…Boss is on 3. I'm running slow down wait, I can beat Bill and get there first and there's no waiting and waiting and waiting. Yes, run! Run and get to the office and get to the boss. Good morning, Mr. Roscoe.
"Watch out!"
My, you have a lovely tie, sir. Remember that raise I needed? For my kid and my wife and my rent and those goddamn beauty plasmids and the goddamn baby food and the goddamn bloodsucking landlord? I want that raise, sir.I want my goddamn raise!
"Sir, if you want to see Mr. Roscoe, you need a-"
"I'm a loyal employer of Mr. Roscoe's and he will see me whenever I want."
"Sir, let me just buzz him and see if he'll see you, then."
Where's Bill? He's not here yet, he can't be.
"What's your name again, sir?"
"Frank."
"He says his name is 'Frank', Mr. Roscoe."
Where's that bastard, Bill? Thought he'd come and tell Roscoe what I was up to before I actually came, did he? Well, just let him stand outside this closed door and wait and wait and wait.
"Mr. Roscoe will see you now, sir."