Chapter IV: Behind Cold Metal

A blood encrusted, ice layered chunk of warped metal found it's way into his right hand within an instant. Dark crimson liquid slowly dripped from the tip of Delta's frost bitten Drill and onto the splintered wooden floors of Grace Holloway's apartment dwellings. The Alpha Daddy's lackluster armor seemed to gleam in the low level light, his blank yellow porthole showed no emotion as he gazed at the old black woman staring him down from the doorway. Scarlet took nervous glances between the two as she slowly dislodged herself from Mr. Bubbles, the crimson haired teenager was in turmoil. Though she has accepted the fact that the Mother Lamb now wanted her dead, she still felt the urge, the programmed instinct, to protect this brittle old woman. The ancient that stood before the metal clad titans looked as if she lived a life of anger, stress, and disappointment after disappointment. Her frizzled black hair was graying and large bags drooped from under her eyes, even her dark skin appeared washed out and gray; as if it had lost it's luster over the years. Grace's lips turned upwards into a snarl of disgust as she stared at the duo, her eyes surprisingly devoid of any fear.

"I know what you two monsters are here for, and even if I did refuse to give you what you want it wouldn't make any difference. You'd just run me through and pry it out of my cold dead hands." Grace said bitterly as she walked over to a nearby table. She laid the genetic key that would unlock the Pauper's Drop Station onto it's surface, the key that Delta was so desperate to acquire. Grace's angry chocolate brown eyes once again bored into Delta's blank porthole.

"Go on." Grace gestured to the key. "Take it, I won't have you touchin me you godforsaken monstrosity." Grace shifted her gaze to the framed photograph that Delta held in his massive left hand. Her sharp venomous glare softened slightly at the sight of it.

"Dr. Lamb…trusted me, to care for her child." Grace began. As Delta observed the angry bitter woman that had sent hoard, after hoard of insane genetically altered maniacs after them, he came to the conclusion that she was just tired. Not just physically either, she just seemed…tired of everything.

"And I tried." The ancient when on. "But baby Eleanor disappeared…. Then one day, I see her walking with you." Grace glared spitefully at Delta as she said this. "Looking all pale, and demonic, and wrong…, and when I tried to hold her…you knocked me down!" Grace punctuated this by banging the end of her cane against the wooden walls of the apartment, startling the gruesome pair slightly. "You broke my jaw…so I am ready baby snatcher, for the both of you! I'm right here." Grace raised her left hand in submission and sent Delta a hate filled smirk. "Finish what you started ten years ago, Tin Daddy."

The tension in the air was so thick, Scarlet wouldn't be surprised if she could cut through it with her serrated blade. Her Mr. Bubbles just stood there, rigid and unmoving like a statue. Grace found the Alpha Daddy unnerving, unlike his brethren he was completely silent, no moans, no thunderous foot steps, just the creaking of the wooden floors straining under his weight as he stepped towards the golden key she had laid on the table. The Hollow man grabbed the genetic key and placed it in one of his suit's many pockets. Scarlet's heart clenched when Mr. Bubbles took a step towards Grace, the brittle woman's face fearless as she stared straight into his porthole.

"Kid…I know she's been sending hell your way so I'm not really particular on how you deal with her but she's old, and her grudge against you is based on a misunderstanding. I just wanted to let you know that before you go and do something you might regret…." Delta heard Sinclair sigh tiredly through the radio. "She's unarmed, for what it's worth."

As Delta looked into Grace's dark bitter eyes and then shifted his gaze to Scarlet's apprehensive form, he realized something that made his teeth clench.

Everyone was expecting him to kill her.

This woman has been out to kill him ever since he set foot in Pauper's Drop, they were all expecting him to follow his programming and murder whoever physically harms him, whether it be directly or by other conventional means.

They all thought of him as nothing but a monster.

Delta's eyes shined with determination and defiance under his blank porthole. He would prove them all wrong, he would save not only the Little Sisters but any other living soul he could. He was not a mindless drone, groaning and moaning as he walked through Rapture's sunken streets, he was a human being. Subject Delta decided right then and there that he would appoint himself the responsibility of a Savior. A man who helped those in need, even if it did hurt him in the process, even if he did have to sacrifice his wants and needs. For in the end, what makes a man is the people who talk of his life and legacy.

Grace screamed out in surprise when the Demo Daddy hefted her over his left shoulder gently, albeit a little forcefully, and started to make his way to the exit of the apartment. At first, Scarlet thought that Mr. Bubbles was making a move to throw Grace against the flimsy wooden walls of the apartment, which would no doubt break her aged back. But Mr. Bubbles didn't do that, he didn't abuse her, he picked her up as gently as he would a struggling Little Sister and gestured for her to follow him as he took a shortcut down to the entrance of the hotel.

"What are you doing, you Goddamned monster!"

"That monster is saving your ungrateful old bones, Gracey." Sinclair replied over Delta's radio in a defensive tone. "After all you put him through, he is willing not only to spare you…but save you…. Kid, you are a much better man than I, you've got to be some kind of saint."

Delta could only grunt out a quick sound of thanks as he leaped down a huge hole that was torn in the floorboards, with Scarlet quickly following suit. The vermillion eyed teenager was baffled by Mr. Bubbles' actions. She has never seen a Big Daddy spare ANYONE that wronged him, their judgment was quick and swift. They showed no mercy to their aggressors, and made sure that they were not but bloody smears on the walls after they were done delivering their judgment. But Mr. Bubbles…he forgave. They were almost there, they were shuffling down a set of stairs, the entrance to the hotel was in sight.

"What do you think you are doing, Delta? What are you planning to do with Grace? Are you planning to use her as a ransom in hopes of obtaining Eleanor?" Sofia's sharp tongued voice pierced through Delta's radio, it's angry and accusing tone unmistakable. The Mechanical Soldier couldn't help but scoff at the blonde haired psychiatrist, he would never do such a thing. What kind of man did Sofia take him for?

"Delta, your cold hearted selfishness never ceases to amaze."

Oh, right.

"I won't let you get away with this, I was going to tell them to make your death quick and painless but now…I'll let them do what they please. The guardians methods of erasing threats are nothing short of barbaric, but they get their jobs done."

A mechanical screech of primal fury reverberated through Delta's helmet, disorientating him slightly and blurring his vision. The scream of rage was quick followed by another discordant screech. The two Sisters he and Scarlet had escaped were back, and they sounded angrier than ever. Subject Delta worriedly looked between the brittle old woman that lay on his shoulder and Scarlet who had her frostbitten blade poised to strike. He couldn't afford to have his attention drawn while battling a Big Sister, let alone TWO. Delta sighed quietly to himself, he knew what he had to do. The Hollow man beckoned for Scarlet's attention and gestured for her to carry Grace back to the 'Pauper's Drop: Train Station.'

Scarlet's hollow blood red eyes immediately narrowed and she let out a defiant screech, there was no way she was going to leave Mr. Bubbles! He needed her, she wasn't going to leave him to be ripped apart by her Sisters. Scarlet has seen what her fellow Sisters do to the insane Alpha Series that roam the decrepit halls of this sunken city, she couldn't help but picture her Mr. Bubbles; broken, bloodied…, and gutted. Scarlet screeched in anger and glared at the Alpha Daddy. Subject Delta let out a curt grunt that left no room for arguments. Even if he did die he would be revived by a Vita-Chamber, be that as it may, he was still going to do everything in his power to make sure that he wasn't murdered.

As the wail of a banshee once again sounded throughout the area, followed closely by another, Delta frantically gestured yet again for Scarlet to carry Grace to the safety of the train station. To the Demo Daddy's relief, submissively, reluctantly, she did so.

"Hey what am I, a sack of potatoes?" Grace yelled in outrage. Scarlet took one last glance at her Mr. Bubbles before smirking behind her visor. Delta couldn't help but chuckle as she dematerialized into a cloud of purple chaotic haze, he hoped that Grace rematerialized with everything intact. As the last wisps of Scarlet's haze was carried off by the wind, the Mechanical Soldier quickly got to work. He placed a cluster of proximity mines, trap rivets, and cyclone traps in the middle of the room. He let a pinkish mist envelope the palm of his left hand and placed a decoy of himself on top of the cluster.

As the last teeth shattering shrieks of anger and hatred blasted through the area, Subject Delta immediately began scanning the area for his unseen enemies, a Launcher clutched tightly in his right hand and lightning crackling in his left.

"Death to the beast!" A hysterical scream met the Hollow man's ears and his eyes widened as he watched a Thuggish Splicer charge his Decoy/Trap, it's rusted lead pipe raised over it's head. Secondary rivet's immediately pierced the Splicer's flesh, shrapnel shredded it's eternal organs, and it's body was propelled skywards at extreme speeds. As it's already mangled body smashed into the floor, a mechanical laughter met Delta's ears and he was quickly besieged upon by the two Sisters from before.

There goes most of his trap ammo, wasted on an enemy he could have just stepped on. The Sisters must have used that Splicer as living bait.

Subject Delta quickly created another Decoy to distract the Sisters, and sprinted towards an Ammo Bandito Machine. He maxed out on all possible ammo and let out a frightening roar before he let a bolt of lighting fly from his finger tips and heat seeking RPGs streak from the tube of his Launcher. The Sisters screeched in pain and fury as they were immobilized by paralyzing lightning then blown away by four rocket propelled grenades. The Mechanical Soldier quickly grabbed the handle of his Machine Gun, loading it up with armor piercing rounds, and let flames dance in his left hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the Demo Daddy intensified the flames that already consumed the Sisters' armored formed and unloaded on them with armor piercing rounds. The Sisters screamed in agony as their suits were pierced by high velocity, reinforced, machine gun rounds, their blood spattering all over the floors. The Sister to Delta's left sprinted towards him with pure blinding speed, pushing through the hail of white hot lead, screeching insanely with her ADAM Syringe raised. Before she could pounce on him, Delta slammed the end of his machine gun against the side of the her helmet which sent her careening to the left.

Delta roared in surprise and pain as he was set ablaze by fierce barrage of fireballs, and he was forced to the ground as a wickedly long Syringe pierced his chest plate. The second Sister planted a foot not only his right arm but his left arm as well, her sheer strength and weight preventing him from raising his arms to defend himself. The Sister cackled sadistically as she tore the Syringe from his chest and raised it over his porthole. Delta cursed, he had only one first aid kit left and two EVE Hypos.

Lord, he hated dieing so MUCH.

Before the sadistic Sister could condemn him to the afterlife, a scream of pure undying fury echoed through the area. Electrical appliances short circuited, glass and light bulbs shattered, and in a purple chaotic storm of swirling molecules, Scarlet appeared above Delta's potential killer.

Scarlet shrieked as she hurled herself at her enemy, the force of her air born charge forcing both her and her enemy to the ground. Scarlet stabbed the Sister's right shoulder, her modified Syringe cutting through the armor like butter, and the enemy Sister froze over as a result of the vermillion Sister's Frozen Field Tonic. Scarlet picked up the still frozen Sister with the power of her mind and hurled her clear across the area. The Sister icicle slammed against a wall with enough force to create a crater and fell to the ground, but did not shatter or crack at all. The armor bound teenager thawed out of her icy prison and with a scream of bubbling rage she raised her right hand and sent fireball, after fireball after Scarlet, the vermillion haired Sister doing the same.

As Scarlet and her enemy created a roaring fire storm of destruction around them, Delta was in a lethal dance of close quarter's melee. Delta blocked his enemy's attempt to run him through by bringing up Drill and brought his left fist across the Sister's metal encased cranium. The Sister flowed with the motion of Delta's blow, twisting her body as the Alpha's fist met with her steel covered face, and brought her heel crashing into the Demo Daddy's head. Delta, though disorientated, let lightning fly from his finger tips, stunning the Sister, and then revved his frosty Drill in preparation to run her through. The Sister flexed her telekinetic powers in desperation, causing the electricity streaking across her form to stretch out in a wave and stun Delta as well. Delta gritted his teeth behind the cover of his visor as his enemy recovered.

The Sister looked horrible.

Her porthole was cracked, her armor was charred black and blood was gushing from a gash in her side and air was escaping from the oxygen tanks attached to her back.

Delta couldn't help but think that he probably looked just as bad.

Just as the Sister charged him, prepared to run him through with her wicked blade, she was sent skyward by the Cyclone Trap he had quickly placed in front of him. The Mechanical Soldier recovered from his stunned state, grabbed the handle of his Shotgun, and sent her skyward once again just as she was descending with a blast of Solid Slug. The Sister now whined and screamed as Delta emptied two more Solid Slug shots into her, each of the slugs sending an electrical charge surging through her body as result of the weapon's final upgrade. The Sister's marred lithe figure crashed into the ground with her limbs splayed, her chest heaved as she struggled to stay conscious.

Scarlet gritted her teeth in pain as a she was set ablaze once again by her enemy's scorching flames. The vermillion eyed teenager pushed through the pain, the charring of her armor and flesh, and gathered all the power she had into one final attack, she raised both her hands and closed her hollow blood eyes. She concentrated on the power of her fire and the destruction and pain it would wrought on her enemies. The enemy Sister, seeing Scarlet's concentrating form, seized the opening and charged towards her with her serrated blade ready to plunge into her heart. Scarlet snapped her eyes wide open and let her hellfire loose.

The resulting fireball was the size of a bathysphere.

The fiery projectile slammed into the enemy Sister at point blank range with enough force to send her airborne and she crashed into the ground in a charred, smoking heap. Scarlet could hear her enemy's ragged breaths as she struggled to breath. The bloody haired teen looked over to her Mr. Bubbles while she desperately tried to catch her breath, his armor was charred black, much like her own, and air was escaping from the oxygen tanks on his back.

Subject Delta looked at Scarlet, his breaths ragged and the edges of his vision tinged red, then looked down to the Sister he had defeated. Her helmet light was still on, a sign that she was still alive. Delta aimed his Shotgun at the Sister's porthole as he stood over her.

"M-Mr. B-Bubbles…d-do w-we, h-Have t-to k-kill…?"

Delta looked over to Scarlet who had removed her helmet, the bulbous piece of metal now tucked under her left arm. She looked at the two Sisters solemnly, her eyes shining with a hope that like her they could be saved. Delta sighed depressingly and reached his left hand out to touch the Sister, hoping that she was at least tame. The Sister managed to push herself up and lashed out with her ADAM Syringe the moment Delta was about to touch her helmet, the wicked weapon nearly piercing his porthole. Delta took a quick step back, looked over to Scarlet and shook his head. Inky black tears started to cascade down Scarlet's freckled cheeks and her lower lip trembled, but she nodded nonetheless. Delta put his Shotgun away and grabbed the handle of his Rivet Gun, he didn't want to see the girl's brains spill out onto the floor.

After all the time he spent with Scarlet…it sickened him to have to do this to a being that looked exactly like her.

Delta aimed the barrel of his Rivet Gun right in the center of Sister's visor, Scarlet cried harder and clenched her eyes for with her advance hearing she was able to hear the Sister's last words just before Delta pulled the trigger.

"Y-you s-SHriEK-Traitors."

BANG

The Sister fell back, dead, a rivet planted in the dead center of her forehead. The second enemy Sister had witnessed the murder, her gaze shifted between Delta and Scarlet with new found fear in her hollow crimson eyes. She tried to crawl away as the monster, the Hollow man made his way over to her. She whimpered and let blackened tears fall from her eyes as she heard his footsteps getting closer, and closer. The Sister kept dragging herself along the ground, trying to escape from the Hollow that had just killed her Sister. She tried to escape, tried to keep her cries inaudible but she couldn't. Just as she felt he was right above her, image of a Rivet Gun being aimed at the back of her head, she did something that she hasn't done since her gathering days as a Little Sister; when she was weak and defenseless.

She curled herself into a ball and screamed.