Chapter Two: Guidance

As I ran through the streets, I frantically looked around for a place to hide. I was still scared, but I was going to do as the mysterious man had told me. Eventually, I saw what looked like an alcove with a counter in its entrance. I went inside it quickly, and ducked behind the counter. As I sat there on the ground, I shook with fear as I attempted to catch my breath once more.

It was then that I remembered the object I had been given. I quickly held it up to see what it was, and saw that it was a radio. It had a single antenna and a clip on its back. Some of my fear turned to confusion as I stared at it. I wondered why it had been given to me. Suddenly, however, the large speaker on the radio's front started to crackle and buzz as it turned on. A faint voice started to come from the speaker as the sounds of static began to slowly fade. As the voice became more and more clear, I began to recognize it. It was the voice of the man from earlier.

"...Hello? Hello? Are you there?" the man said.

I put the radio closer to my face and responded. My voice was quiet and shook. "...Hello...?"

"Are you in a safe place?"

"...Yes..."

"Good. Sorry if I scared you back there. It's been a while since I last saw someone sane down here. Let's start over. My name is Will."

"...I'm...Ken..."

"Nice to meet you, Ken. By the looks of things, I found you just in time. Did you drop your weapon or something?"

"...No...This is the first time I've ever left my house..."

"Wait. So, the city was like this when you were born?"

"...Yes..."

"Hmm... In that case, I think you can help me."

I was surprised by that statement. "...Help you...?"

"Yes. As you've already noticed, Rapture's not the safest place to live. I plan on changing that. I know it's a lot to ask considering we just met, but I can't do this alone. It won't be easy, but I can make it worth your while."

I started to calm down as Will talked. He didn't seem to mean any harm. "...How?" I asked.

"Well, I know you probably don't want to stay down here forever. There's a submarine station somewhere in the city, but it's been closed off for a while. Fortunately, though, I know how to get it open. If you help me, I can make sure that you can escape from this city."

My parents had told me about the surface. They had told me about the blue sky and bright sun. They told me about the wind and the open air. I didn't know if I could trust Will, but I always wanted to see the surface. I thought for a bit, and then I gave Will a response. "What would I have to do?" I said.

"The man who currently runs things in Rapture is Victor Watts. He has the resources I'll need to save this city, but I doubt he'll just hand them over. To make matters worse, I have to constantly hide because he's placed a bounty on my head. In order for me to even begin to change anything and for you to safely escape, I'm going to need you to make your way into his office and...kill him..."

A chill ran down my spine as he said those last two words. "...K-kill him..?" I said nervously.

"Yes... Believe me, if there was any other way, I wouldn't ask you to do something so dangerous. Please... Will you help me?"

I didn't want to kill someone. Just the thought of it horrified me. I wondered if seeing the surface would be worth it. After some more thinking, I responded. "Alright...I'll do it."

"Thank you. I'll explain things as we go, but first thing's first. Rapture is unsurvivable unless you have some means of defense. Try to find some sort of blunt object that you can use as a weapon."

"Alright." I then got to my feet and put the radio on the side of my pants. As I left the alcove, I finally looked around at what the city looked like. The ground was covered in puddles of water, and rubble was lying everywhere. I could see schools of fish swimming outside the windows. The sounds of music and rushing water could be heard in the distance. I looked around for a weapon, and quickly spotted a toolbox. I walked over to it and looked inside to see a wrench. It was bright red and it looked a little old. I picked it up, feeling the cold metal of its handle. I then took the radio and held it up to my face. "I found a wrench."

"Good." said Will. "That should work. This radio I've given you has a tracking device in it. With it, I'll be able to guide you through the city. This way, I can at least be of some help. Now, getting into Victor's office isn't going to be easy. He has a security grid around his office building that' impossible to get past. There's a way to turn it off, though. To do that, you'll need to go to the security control room nearby. According to the map on my master radio, you'll need to go through a few sections of Rapture to get there. The first place you need to go is the business district."

With those words, Will started to guide me, and I followed his directions. His voice was strangely comforting, if somewhat sad. I didn't know how it would all end, nor did I know if Will was who he said he was. If it meant I would see the surface, though, I had to listen to him.